Poems by Mona Lisa Saloy

Poems by Mona Lisa Saloy

TWO POEMS FROM LOUISIANA’S NEW POET LAUREATE

Mona Lisa Saloy

These are days . . .

Days of heavy rains & hurricanes

Booming thunder, lightning, & sultry nights

When bed sheets stick & ‘Skitoes follow your skin

Hum a tease in your ear side up

Stinging & blood sucking while you

Sleep if you can

Water bugs rise from sink drains, from

Deeper pipes, mice or rats visit toilets and

Private parts of unaware sitters in the dark

Between thunder claps that

Echo wars of the past & Inner wars of the present--

Absent love or hearts heavy with jealousy or

Love family full of face with empty pockets--

When the lights fail

All electrical sound stops

Not even white noise

No birds yak no dogs bark

We marvel at jagged light

Streaks across grey-black skies

When the air cools &

Smells freshly washed in

Thundershowers like bombs of water falling

We give thanks for such

Reminders, what’s important

Being here

Louisiana Lore

Why go barefoot in Louisiana?

Holy Ground American by birth

Louisianans by Grace

God’s Country,

Chaque corps importe (everybody matters)

New Orleans, a

Creole Country by Baptism, a

Local Call to God

—From Second Line Home