When I saw the waters of Lake Pontchatrain,
I was transported back again
To a time out of time
On a second line
Marching to their own serenade
Suspended on a sweet refrain
The saints and the haints at the Mississippi’s gate
Come drifting in on the steamy haze
We pray for a breeze
To stir the leaves of the
Live oaks draped in Spanish moss
Feel the rhythm and pulse
Of this human gumbo
The threat rain but thunder only rumbles
Sunlight dancing on Lake Ponchatrain
Hoo doo magic calling me again
Final draft:
Lake Pontchatrain by Matt Donald 2/26/24
Whenever she thinks
of Lake Pontchatrain
It transports her back again
To a place out of time
With the second line
Suspended on a sweet refrain
Heat expands into the day
Senses dull in steamy haze
Haste dissolves to a languid crawl
While she prays for a breeze
Through ancient trees
Draped in Spanish moss shawls
Moonlight on Lake Pontchatrain
Hoo doo magic calls her name
The drums arise as they explain
The pull she feels of Pontchatrain
Amid cypress swamps
And the oven vaults
Line between life and death blurs
The rise and fall
Of feet at a ball
Render everyday worries absurd
The rhythm and pulse
Of this human gumbo
A threat of rain that only rumbles
The saints and haints
On bayou banks
Mingle in frenzied bustle
Moonlight on Lake Pontchatrain
Hoo doo magic calls her name
The drums arise as they explain
The pull she feels of Pontchatrain
I originally wrote the first draft after a trip to New Orleans last June. I thought I had it pretty well finished around July, but decided to put it down for a while. Flash forward to yesterday and I made countless revisions to get it to where it is today. You can see how different it is, but I tried really hard to keep the original concepts that inspired me in the first place