Holy Bayou

He fashioned her from the jut
Of the Cypress knee
Of a strange Medicine did he mold her
But arthritic like her mother’s
Silhouettes She was not
Only ancient and green
As the Spanish moss
Heavy with it

Powder of the white shell
Powder you safe with it
Mark of the innocent
Mask of the Holy
May your head be cool
First Medicine

Scatter
With the egret
And they turn to tend their young
Scatter
Into the sun
and warmth

Leave it
To those
Swamp natured ones

chicca-chicca-chicca

“The cottonmouth
And alligator are
My Brothers”

Belly of the coons
Screech owl
Water moccasins
Welcome her
Pole to the bayou
Hyacinth moving
And it leaves no tracks

Powder of the cascarilla
Dust you safe
with it
Womb of the
Bayou
Shoot of the falling star
and two eyes ease out
shining
then descend
Her Brothers in
The night
pole into Holy Bayou
push on
push on
pirogue deep into the
Manchac