MARIE LAVEAU ~THE VOODOO QUEEN FROM NEW ORLEANS

A short story/poem about Voodoo on the Bayou. Al names are fictional other then Marie Laveau, who was a real person

 

 He was casually walking one evening in a bustling place called New Orleans in the year of 1845. Nonchalantly strolling down Bourbon Street, a street lined with beautiful homes; graceful verandas; elegant parlors, and... Marie Laveau 

His name was Moine Baptiste. He was a black, French Creole. A man who lived for his music, Quadroon balls, the blues, jazz, and  places where he and Charlie would play their rip-roarin' music in the place called "The Big Easy". 

 

MOINE BARTISTE

 

 

Charlie the sax, was Baptiste’s long, time friend, since he first started playing the 'sax' at the young age of eight.

 

Moine Baptiste, Plessy Ferguson and all the guys played their Cajun, jazz and blues music at clubs like, 'Antoine’s Bar',  'The Maison Bourbon Jazz Club' and 'The Funky Pirate', all which were popular clubs in the French Quarter on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

 

In those days dusky stable hands would lead horses around the stables engaging in desultory conversation that went something like this:

 "Hey where y'all goin' from here?" they'd query. "From here we're headin' for the "Big Apple", one would offer in reply.  "You'd better fatten up them skinners or all you'll get from the apple will be the core," was the quick rejoinder.

Resulting in the assigned name, Those Big AppleYears".

 

Close by on another beautiful, tree lined street was 'Esplanada Avenue'. It was the most elegant street of all in the French Quarter.

 

 Esplanada Avenue claimed fame to a somewhat elusive, secret Bordello called LaBranche House where all the affluent or wealthier men would frequent.

Baptiste was very familiar with LaBranche House. That was where he met all his women and spent most of his money.  

The French and Creole children casually roamed the town, sometimes walking down by the graveyard near Bayou Street. They had been told many a time to steer clear of Bourbon Street, a street with a sordid reputation of burlesque clubs, all night parties and…

                    Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of   New Orleans! 

 

When Baptiste was taking his walks he'd always watch out the corner of his eye. Something he learned to do when strolling along the sidewalks in New Orleans and in particular Bourbon and Bayou Streets in Congo Square. You see he’d had a few encounters with Marie Laveau.

Oh he had a great deal of respect for Marie Laveau... along with a healthy amount of fear.

 

This Creole woman, often used her Voodoo  to manipulate, acquire power and upon occasion bless those she liked with good luck and prosperity. She  was also quite adept in conjuring up her many powers in matters of the heart.

Her hair was long and black. She was both feared and respected. Ms Laveau had olive colored, Creole skin. Her black, piercing eyes were sharp as a razor’s edge. Almost magnetic, if she stared at you for very long.

 

Baptiste had called upon the Voodoo Queen a few years back when he was down on his luck..... and down on his luck with women.

It was almost to the point, that he’d all but given up on the possibity of being happy and contented.

Baptiste was a man with a robust charisma of Creole and French charm. Yet he had an air of reserve and dignity, with a bit of naughty that shone brightly in his chocolate, brown eyes. He was remarkably handsome with dark brown, wavy hair; a well chiseled bone structure in his cream colored face, full lips and a well toned body.

His main problem was, he liked too many women. Too many all at the same time. He spent too much of his money on his women which left him broke,  lonely and dissatisfied. 

 

One night while strolling down Bourbon Street he happened upon Marie Laveau. He’d just finished playing a ‘gig’, with his old, friend Charlie his beloved sax and a few of the guys. Baptiste was feeling a bit light headed and a tad drunk from the booze that flowed and poured so freely in that part of town called The Big Easy. It was a part of New Orleans steeped in history, lore and many mysterious legends.  Baptiste was feeling slightly tipsy from all the Whiskey he'd drank.

When Baptiste saw Marie Laveau walking towards him down on Bayou Street,

he boldly said:

 

     "Well, Ms. Laveau”,  said he as she walked on by

      She looked piercingly at Baptiste, stared straight at him right through to his eyes.

      She was the famous Queen of mysterious curses

      She carried potions and spells in her bags and purses

      She was a famous legend in New Orleans where all the black trees grow

 

      This Black, Creole Lady lived in the dark, murky swamps all alone

      She carried black cat’s teeth and eerie Mojo bones

      She had three legged dogs and one eyed snakes

      A mean tempered hound she called  Big Bad Jake

    

      He said, “Ms. Laveau you Voodoo Witch please cast your spells and make me rich”!

      Marie started mumbling and shook her magic stones

      Why it scared Ole’ Baptiste right down to his skinny ole' bones!

 

      She cast aVoodoo Spell and spoke some eerie incantations

      Promised him wealth, true love and a big plantation!

      There’s many a story told of men she’d charmed

      But Ole’ Baptiste, he wasn’t too alarmed

 

      They strolled through the graveyard down on Bayou Street

      Where all Marie's ghouls and ghosts and spirits meet

      There lived a big, black crow where she held her ritual scenes

      She spoke powerful Voodoo words and cast her magic in between

      She held Baptiste’s hands tightly in her large, black hands

      She promised him love and riches and lots of land

 

      From that day forward Baptiste had more than his share of luck

      He had the love of a beautiful woman and lots of bucks

  

      But Baptiste always remembered that piercing look in Ms. Laveau’s stare

      An admonishing, cautionary warning they always shared

 

      If you ever walk the streets in New Orleans....

                                   Beware....

      You just might meet up with Marie Laveau...

                                  The Bayou Voodoo Queen

 

 

 

Marie Laveau a legend of Voodoo down on the Bayou. This well known story of this

Voodoo Queen who made her fortune selling her potions and interpreting dreams...

all down in a place called New Orleans!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Author's Note

Marie Laveau (September 10, 1794 – June 16, 1881[1]) was a Louisiana Creole practitioner of Voodoo renowned in New Orleans. She was born free in New Orleans.

Her daughter Marie Laveau II (1827 — c. 1895) also practiced Voudoun, and historical accounts often confuse the two. She and her mother had great influence over their multiracial following. "In 1874 as many as twelve thousand spectators, both black and white, swarmed to the shores of Lake Pontchartrain to catch a glimpse of Marie Laveau II performing her legendary rites on St. John's Eve (June 23–24)."[2

Reviews

[A. Amos]

I really am proud that your turning this true story into a novel and I can surely feel this will be a best seller...Love son

[anne p. murray- LadeeAnne]

Thank you son.
Love mom