11. Until We Meet Again

by Valeta S. Moore

Life just won't be the same
But it will go on
The New Orleans that we knew
Will forever be in our hearts

Snowballs, Poboys, Crawfish Etoufee
Shrimp Creole, Gumbo
And a little Casino Play

Going uptown to see family
Driving downtown
To see Tyler Perry

Oh, what a change, what a heartache
To wake and see
Our precious city washed away

St. Aug, Brother Martin, Redeemer --
Seton and Xavier Prep, St. Mary's, Fortier
Kennedy, Carver and Warren Easton, X.U., Dillard
Tulane, Loyola, UNO, SUNO and Street Academy

Life on the porch
Talking 'bout scenes on the street
While children play B-Ball
And chill on the corner

Monday night Redbeans
And Friday night games
"Who Let The Dogs Out"
Our Saints will never be the same (we hope)

Lundi Gras, Zulu meets Rex, Mardi Gras
"Throw me something Mister"

Ash Wednesday, going get ashes
Wash our sins away
Big Chief, Eh La Bah, Super Sunday
Second Line in the hood

NOPD, NOFD, school teachers, professors, S&WB
Entergy, let me pay half this month
Gotta pay Bell South
Girl, don't forget Cox Cable
Got to catch the school board meetings
And Hester's mouth

Going to Barrow's
Friday night Fish Fry
Suppers sold 'round the city -
Going on a bus ride?

They now call us refugees
Evacuees of Katrina
Hell, just call us New Orleanians
'Cause that's who and what
We will forever be

God Bless the tens of thousands
Who couldn't get out
Who saw family washed away
And float about

God Bless my family members
That I cannot find
I can only pray for the best
And rely on time

The flooding stopped
In New Orleans
But the tears from our eyes
Will continue to rise

And New Orleans will forever be in our hearts
...until we meet again


hellicane category: local color