(From my archives)<\/p>\n
I had never been to a Mardi Gras celebration until I moved to New Orleans. What I learned living there, is that \u00a0for the locals, it\u2019s a great opportunity for family activities, far away from the tourism debauchery in the Quarter. \u00a0I was \u00a0\u2018inspired\u2019 one year to write this Mardi Gras poem, which will resonate with locals more than tourists. \u00a0You still have nearly two weeks of\u00a0Carnival season left for this year.\u00a0Eat a muffaletta<\/a>. \u00a0 If you can\u2019t make it, put it on your bucket list! \u00a0In the meantime, many of the biggest parades will be streamed on NOLA\u2019s\u00a0WDSU TV<\/a>. Twas the night before Mardi Gras, and all through the burb, The beads were hung from the floats with care, The children were nestled all snug in the car, Mamma in her toga, and me in my mask, When out in the street there arose such a clatter, Away to the neutral ground I flew like flash, The sun was just rising on the St. Charles line When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, A curmudgeonly old man, so lively and quick,<\/p>\n I knew in a moment he was a tourist, he acted like such a dick, I looked around before leaving, to see what was the matter I gathered my things, and got ready to view I was ready as ready, me, Mr. Jimmy Crackcorn I had borrowed a kid from some neighbor named Jim We worked all night on the \u201cWe\u2019re from\u2026\u201d signs After seeing all those, will they guess we\u2019re from Kenner? Yep, I had my umbrella and shrimp nets, to help catch the loot.<\/p>\n I was stuffed with King cake, the tasty treats screamed \u201ceat us\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019d eat a lot more, if the toy didn\u2019t look like a fetus. I heard the music, the parade was near Floats so lovely, adorned in things so bold \u201cI can\u2019t get enough!\u201d I thought, so I recounted them all Then fade away! fade away! fade away all!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDamn I\u2019m thirsty,\u201d I thought, as I took a swig of my booze And then he appeared, the King of the Day, The beads, candy and toys all flew like rain,<\/p>\n Me and ma were so drunk, we was feelin\u2019 no pain.<\/p>\n The kids were getting trampled, ordinarily a horror <\/p>\n Mardi Gras 2018 New Orleans in Poem<\/p>\n Mardi Gras 2018 New Orleans in Poem<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (From my archives) Mardi Gras 2018 New Orleans in Poem I had never been to a Mardi Gras celebration until I moved to New Orleans. What I learned living there, is that \u00a0for the locals, it\u2019s a great opportunity for family activities, far away from the tourism debauchery in the Quarter. \u00a0I was \u00a0\u2018inspired\u2019 one… Continue reading Mardi Gras 2018 New Orleans in Poem<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23999,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,25],"tags":[2205,2421],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17628"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17628"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17628\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.peterstromquist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThe Night Before Mardi Gras<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nDenizens were in place to see the parades, even lining the curb;<\/p>\n
\nIn anticipation of the throngs that would soon be there;<\/p>\n
\nDreaming of doubloons tossed from afar;<\/p>\n
\nI was all tuckered out from my bead buying task.<\/p>\n
\nI sprang from my perch to see what was the matter.<\/p>\n
\nTripped over the Landreau sign and fell face down in the trash.<\/p>\n
\nGiving the impression parade day would be fine.<\/p>\n
\nBut the homeowner in his robe, his shouting so crass,
\nSaying, \u201dHey, you buddy, get the hell off my grass!<\/p>\n
\nAnd he whistled, and shouted, and called me some name;
\nIt was obvious to me, he didn\u2019t understand the game.<\/p>\n
\nBut no I hadn\u2019t forgotten anything, Not even my ladder.<\/p>\n
\nThe amazing display that would be put on by the Krewe.<\/p>\n
\nI even had fresh double A\u2019s, to use in my bullhorn.<\/p>\n
\nSo I could point to the toddler and say, \u201cHey the throws are for him!\u201d<\/p>\n
\nMany places listed, the more exotic the better<\/p>\n
\nContinuing my mental tick list of things, forgetting the old coot,<\/p>\n
\nThe middles are not plain, but now stuffed with a filling
\nSince McKensies went bankrupt, small bakers make a killing.<\/p>\n
\nWhen what to my wondering eyes should appear<\/p>\n
\nAnd trimmed of course in green, purple, and gold.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cNow, Zulu! now, Rex! Now, Endymion and Proteus!
\nTo the end of St. Charles! to the top of Canal!<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI hope I don\u2019t have to pee before I see all of the Krewes!\u201d<\/p>\n
\nHe laughed and he chortled, and got ready to play.
\nHe spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
\nReached in his sack, then turned with a jerk,
\nAnd laying his finger aside of his nose,
\nAnd giving a nod, skyward went the throws!<\/p>\n
\nBut not today cause someone nearby was surely a lawyer!
\nThe crowds were noisy, their hearts were a thumpin\u2019,
\nAs they cried in unison, \u201cHey Mister, throw me sumpin!\u201d<\/p>\n