New Orleans

It is a scandal to see with our own eyes how little we have done as a government in New Orleans. Our initial response was bungled tragically at all levels of government. The inability and it would seem the unwillingness of those in authority to act decisively is now even more tragically obvious than before. After a recent visit, while driving into the city, my son could not help but note that, if this is how we treat the soul of our country, then it stands to reason that we are looking into our future. This while we drove past mile after mile of abandoned businesses and destroyed homes. He spoke, I think prophetically. And so I penned these words to tell out my soul this lament for a city that I love.

To NOLA

We came to New Orleans and
We saw the impotence of our government
Its inability and its unwillingness
To save the least of her own.
We saw the devastation and
We saw our future.

We the government saw our
Impotence our
Incompetence and our
Rapacious greed;
We saw our slavery;

To the Domination System we created of
Corporate Power and Greed.
Jeff Skilling and Ken Lay
Are on trial and
They are blind to what they have done,
And You are expecting me to forgive them?

Heal me of my blindness I pray Thee
To turn the tables of these money changers
And dealers in pigeons
And take up my cross to follow wherever you may lead.

Paul Bresnahan, April 2006