Jo Walton ([info]papersky) wrote,
@ 2005-09-08 13:43:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
New Orleans Talking Blues
When levees are flooded and hurricanes roar,
When the waters start seeping up under the door,
You'd expect the escape plans to include the poor
But this isn't that kind of song.

They shut the bus-stations, they shut down the train,
Two days in advance of the start of the rain.
The drivers drove out and the carless remain,
For all you're expecting is wrong.

You good folk responded with money and pity,
To help all survivors and each dog and kitty,
But nothing got through, for they'd cut off the city
And the time folks were waiting grew long.

The slow rising waters were foul and polluting
Survivors were starving and thirsting and looting,
They called them insurgents and said they were shooting,
But this isn't that kind of song.

Those poor folks, those black folks, they vote the wrong way,
They left them to rot, said they wanted to stay,
"This all worked out well for them", Barbara Bush say,
For all you're expecting is wrong.

You wanted to help and you really did care,
Those bastards in charge stand with weapons laid bare.
They laugh when they tell you that life isn't fair,
And the time we are waiting grows long.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/sfsocialists/
http://respectfulofotters.blogspot.com/
http://www.nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/


(Post a new comment)


[info]szandara
2005-09-08 05:47 pm UTC (link)
Brilliant. May it be set to music and spread across the country. Absolutely brilliant.

(Reply to this)


[info]debg
2005-09-08 05:51 pm UTC (link)
This is stone solid perfect.

(Reply to this)


[info]arliss
2005-09-08 05:56 pm UTC (link)
Tears. Stupid impotent tears.

(Reply to this)


[info]redbird
2005-09-08 06:06 pm UTC (link)
I'm putting this on our bulletin board.

(Reply to this)


[info]handworn
2005-09-08 06:11 pm UTC (link)
No more rhyming, now, I mean it!

(Seriously: Well scanned!)

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]szandara
2005-09-08 06:48 pm UTC (link)
anybody want a peanut?


(sorry, couldn't resist)

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]annafdd
2005-09-08 07:11 pm UTC (link)
Bless you, Jo, this is made me cry which is what I've needed in a long time.

(Reply to this)


[info]piapiapiano
2005-09-08 10:04 pm UTC (link)
New Orleans Talking Blues

It works well as a singing blues too. :-)

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]papersky
2005-09-08 10:27 pm UTC (link)
Good! Sing it to any tune you like.

When I wrote something in this mode once before, [info]supergee asked what I called it and said it was what he called a "talking blues". So that's now what I call it.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)


[info]piapiapiano
2005-09-09 10:40 am UTC (link)
Sing it to any tune you like.

It seems to come with its own tune ready-made, actually.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]janni
2005-09-08 10:10 pm UTC (link)
(cheering)

(Reply to this)


[info]aquila1nz
2005-09-08 10:29 pm UTC (link)
I'm crying.

Those three links already had me railing and miserable. You've pushed me over.

Uh, thanks?

(Reply to this)


[info]madrobins
2005-09-08 11:30 pm UTC (link)
Well done. Thank you, Jo.

(Reply to this)


[info]phantom_wolfboy
2005-09-09 12:51 am UTC (link)
Brilliant, Jo. I may link to this.

(Reply to this)


[info]sfmarty
2005-09-09 03:09 am UTC (link)
Thank you. You said it all.

(Reply to this)


[info]thinkum
2005-09-09 01:38 pm UTC (link)
In a (lyrical) nutshell.

(Reply to this)


[info]casacorona
2005-09-09 05:12 pm UTC (link)
holy cow, Jo! That's fantastic. I'm spreading the link around.

(Reply to this)

crying again for second time today
[info]dragonet2
2005-09-10 12:04 am UTC (link)
First was looking at a piece we did for a show last year in New Orleans, a pre-show planner. The center insert in the piece was a restaurant /attraction guide. I melted down. I mean, my folks' first serious vacation was while dad was on a leave from the Army, just after WWII, mom still has that Antoine's menu. snif.

(Reply to this)


[info]glad2dance
2005-09-10 12:10 am UTC (link)
I found my way here from Making Light.

I'd like to link to this in my journal. Please let me know if you'd have any problems with that.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]papersky
2005-09-10 12:09 pm UTC (link)
No problem at all, go ahead.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…