Poetry by Sarah Henry
1.
Clowns prance down streets.
Giants with stilts jerk past.
Trumpets sound. Men throw
beads from floats to topless
women like me. Flashing is
condoned. Good times roll.
2.
I decide to wear a loud boa
to be noticed in a restaurant.
My own is made of purple,
green and gold feathers. All
patrons recognize the classic
Mardi Gras colors displayed.
3.
The King Cake is my favored
dessert choice. Not baking, I
buy one from a nearby store.
I love the way the cinnamon
and icing taste. Digging out a
plastic baby doll brings luck.
4.
In New Orleans, locals dance
together at the King Rex Ball.
It’s their chance to celebrate
with formality. I’m a guest,
awestruck by the big event’s
glamor and great traditions.
5.
Mardi Gras season’s the best
stretch of life in the Big Easy.
I open the door to the whole
neighborhood. People wearing
masks sit at a table. They dine
on rich gumbo. Good times roll.
Sarah Henry is retired from a newspaper. Her poems recently appeared in Trouvaille Review, Founders Favourites, The Journal of Expressive Writing and Jalmurra. She lives and writes in a small Pennsylvania town.
