Vacation

We greeted the city like an old friend
Desperate to reach the heart of it all
Wrapping our arms around each other
Threading our fingers through the sticky sweet air
We raced to the hidden soul of the Quarter
Bypassing all the obvious choices
And searching for darkened taverns
Where we could start decadent adventures
Friends were found
Stories were told
Laughter was shared
And much was booze was imbibed
As the days bled on
And the nights bloomed
The streets were rediscovered
And alleys explored
We lurched through the crowd
Drinking sugary fermented sour
Twisting among the foreigners
And slipping past the familiars
We broke apart crustaceans red and succulent
Rent our teeth into meat cured and shaved and tender
Drank all the city could offer us and more
Frozen and iced and chilled and intoxicating
We held court all over the dirty glorious streets
Spending hours on the balcony drinking jack and coke
Sitting in dappled sunlight sipping from weather inspired concoctions
Lounging under deceitful stars near carousels confusing
New Orleans opened herself to us more fully than ever before
Sending gentle breezes and lazy clouds
While the river swelled with passion
As if to slip over the levee to caress us in dangerous pleasure
The ghosts came out to play
The gutter punks were more generous than friends
All was mischevious and surprising
And we greedily drank it all in
All these beautiful adventures
Trapped in my heart and mind
Glimpses of what I had and will always long for
Proof that She will never cease to amaze me