New Orleans Has Collapsed!

In appreciation of Frank O’Hara
I was watching the hurricane news
thinking it’s bad but it’s not as bad
as they thought when all of a sudden
it was worse why?? the levees broke
and the water poured through the sexy sweet
City of New Orleans through
cemeteries and jazz
Zydeco and oysters
booze and Blues
balconies and Brennan’s
Black and White
Congregation Named Desire
Queen of the River Excess
did the God of those Righteous Boys
now running
the U.S. of A.
visit this flood upon your sensuous
banks No Noah in these boys’ plans
Oh New Orleans I love you get up!

Estha Weiner
“New Orleans Has Collapsed!” appeared in Hurricane Blues (S.E. Missouri State University Press, 2006).