Bulbancha

 

There sits an almost eerie chill

on these cobblestone sidewalks and empty streets

where footsteps of a storied past 

can still be heard while the city sleeps.

Scrolled wrought iron balconies

overlook the avenue;

gaslights fade in the early dawn,

the jazz clubs silent and subdued.

The hectic pace is different here

slower, almost cavalier

as the “Easy” spins her silken web

on all who choose her streets to tread.

Through the shrouded morning mist

a single silhouette appears

its darkened presence more distinct
than the apparitions of yesteryear.

Slow, a new day has begun…

her ghosts are fading with the sun

while in the purview of their gaze,

their spirits keep the city safe.

Ginny Brannan 2025

Bulbancha is the Choctaw (Native American) name for New Orleans.

Image credit: David Florentine, Florentine Photography.com. Shared with me by a friend from NOLA