Mardi Gras

Green grass grows there on the ground
In Jackson Square where young lover's have found
A place to sleep the day away
After a night spent in debaucherous play
Old StoneWall Jackson on his high horse
In the middle of the square looks
down with stern disapproval.
But who cares? It's Mardi Gras!

...

The Costume
Made it into Pat O'Brien's
But after four Hurricanes
The Frosty cold streets crowded
Burnt the wooden legs off an
old begger hobbling along almost
hit while ogling high-flying girl on a swing.
"Never fear!" Yelled old Stonewall, "I'll
save The South" but they painted the whole
square with shards of glass and
mellow brown liquid spilled out over every
hanging balcony painter there.
In the midst of it all, stood the towering
Cathedral with it's twenty-four
evergreen trees all surrounding the altar.
"Bless me Father, for I have sinned," intoned
a penetant at the confessional.
...

Cafe au lait,
bittersweet and strong
french market at the corner...
do you hear that riverboat whistle? turn around to
gawk at paddle-wheeled people rollin' on the river...
Rusty, dusty old jazz musicians play in
a serious confabulation
of Saint James Infirmary Blues
Ah the music sounds so sweet
Sidewalks shuffle dancing feet
All souls hafta move along with the beat
It's Mardi Gras again on Bourbon Street

...

Greyhound bus caught in
drunken parade,
puffing black diesel clouds into
faces of revelers
staggering along
carrying silly grins
like as if angels dwelt therein.
Mardi Gras wraps the
everyday Party-of-pity-and-doubt
Up into one neat package of let-it-all-hang-out.

...