New Orleans

Amid the chaos, people get killed
for having more than their neighbors.
A bottle of water can cost blood.
Others simply vacantly stare and wait
for the angels to come. The angel
of mercy is also the angel of death.

For a time, we do what we absolutely
must in order to survive, but sometimes
we cannot afford to follow instructions.
Sometimes, we are the victim of circumstance
and suffer the consequences of both man
and nature. Sometimes, we just are.

Further away, good hearts beat rhythms
giving a musical flair to human nature.
The haves can help the have nots;
it may not be enough, though, since
the nots are being tied into knots
in their stomachs and in their minds.