Battle for New Orleans

By Rudolph Lewis

It’s been three centuries & a half 

since our Fathers bought into notions 

of liberty in a slave ship, conceived 

behind enlightened spectacles 

& capital. Now we find 

ourselves in a 21st century 

disaster for neo-cons' sake 

testing our promise, our devotion

to we the people, without which

we cannot long endure. We’re 

on a field of death, “a final 

resting place for those who gave 

their lives that the nation might live”

We come fittingly to this place 

—this bowl. We dare not 

dedicate if we try to escape blame

We cannot make New Orleans 

more than it was, “we cannot 

hallow this ground. Brave men

& courageous women, & children 

living & dead struggled here 

consecrated it. I possess no

power to add to Louis Armstrong

Nor the words of Monk Boudreaux

The Big Chief  sewed all night long

Everybody's got to sew, sew, sew

The world will little note these words 

But martyr’s blood cannot be forgotten 

they fought nobly—they sewed 

& said let them come

From these our honored dead 

our devotion must increase 

they gave full measure. Let’s resolve 

their deaths have not been in vain  

Let's sew all nite til the break of dawn

posted 13 September 2005