(remembering Louie Armstrong)
what will this new species become
the first to comprehend their own mortality
fight for the day but live for tomorrow
sacrifice tomorrows for eternity
frenzy to witness disasters
affirmation: they die I live
Pharaohs knew enough
not to write down laws enabling
making up them as suits their whim
3,000 years it worked then
until the breaching of arid desert lands
in another fertile valley
who’s God was not man and laws were written
in stone no less, in the beginning,
the Voice of God coming, as they said,
into the heads of mortal man made prophet
predicting false prophets
preempting all future God claims
then along came Mohammad
embracing Jewish law and Christian law
adding one more: Usury Condemned
then along came Katrina
the levy breached – poverty exposed
pleading hearts crying for help
false prophets and profits rising
9/11 Pat Robertsons proclaims
allowed by God angry at America’s moral decay
as they build Crystal Temples
(live in glass house don’t throw stones)
Pat’s reward: 66 million Katrina dollars
Jeffery Rosen
“have nots want something for nothing”
half the baby boomers’ blossoms
became precious children getting everything they want
half the baby boomers’ blossoms
became throw away children
in the bowels of New Orleans
New York, Chicago you name it
the bigger the metropolis the larger the slum age
having been swiftboated, peter-principled
follow the Turquoise Trail
leading away from leaden poisons
turquoise jazz man plays our blues and gives us hope
it is Louie who led us there
it is human angels that lead us home.