Somewhere Underground

Off in the Bayou,

You can feel

old West Africa in watery Louisiana,

Remembering the Baduma tribes paddling song?

not quite New Orleans

but somewhere

in those alligator infested swamps,

there are some fine French women who really do

believe in Voodoo,

Do you?

Gris gri gumbo yaya. “The devil….”

The devil made me do it

Gris gri gumbo Ya ya

This is when good Old Lucifer himself

Once dressed up like as an old plantation owner,

A leather holster and

A silver tipped bat

Once dealing in people,

then in bootleg alcohol and now drugs.

They have lots of post cards from the 1930s,

lots of pre WWII footage

of life among the Creoles

and the French in Louisiana

Here are some portraits

of Voodoo paraphernalia,

gaunt French faces staring out at the camera,

men and women drinking,

lots of Rum, lots of Madeira,

spirits, not beer, not wine

spirituals for a dime

A man smiling while he sharpens his knife

on an old sharpening stone.

Sparks are flying all around.

Where did they all disappear to?

Once there was a man smiling

while he sharpened his knife

on an old sharpening stone.

Sparks are flying all around.

Where did he all disappear to?

Somewhere underground