My skin
is thicker than you think
I will survive
our time in New Orleans
Your kiss
was never enough kiss
Your fears
were hurdles on our bliss
The radiant brides
of rue Dauphine
The golden glare
of tubas on the street
The soulful singers
and the sad bartenders
at the Maple Leaf
The Vegas crews
with their tall drinks
and plastic dreams
The stagnant waters
and the clumsy rowers
The aging hippies
and the starfish growers
The hurricane cocktails
and the dormant Gulf
The toothless dancer
with his silent horn
The slave descendants
with their pride and poise
The NRA landlords
with their catholic boys
The alligators
with their widened jaws
The hopeless seawall
and the amphibian homes
The headless monuments
and Mardi Gras debris
The pastel balconies
the magnolia memories
None of the joy
seen on the streets we cruised
can take away
this New Orleans blues
The Mississippi
run through
our Arabi bed
I learnt to swim
but you were too afraid
Your kiss
was never enough kiss
Your fears
were hurdles on our bliss
My tears
were echoed through the mist
as we run for cover
one rainy eve
on Bourbon street
Photo credit: Veronica Pamoukaghlian, you can use it as long as you link to this page