Cornbread and Gumbo

A poem about my love of the deep south of america.

Cornbread and Gumbo

 

 

I’m heading down south…tag a long if you like.

 

A fine silver mist hovers over the Mississippi river. Early morning

Sunlight trickles down onto the red dust of Georgia.

 

The aroma of burnt whisky and the sound of guitar strings being plucked by an 86-year-old man. The Blues is played through the streets and bars while cornbread and bowls of gumbo are swallowed as the music glides over the delta.

 

A ginger cat relaxes in the shade of an old civil war veranda. The alcohol infused ghosts of William Faulkner and Truman Capote stumble around the hills of Tennessee while a hobo

Pours his soul into his old

Harmonica.

 

Steaming plates of grits, collard greens and warm biscuits are devoured,

As southern belle dances in a cornfield, her long white dress flows

in the sweet southern air.

 

I’m heading to Alabama, Lynchburg and Baton Rouge.

  

I’m heading down south…tag a long if you like.

 

Reviews

[Tainted Devotion]

I really loved the great descriptions you put into this poem. I feel the laid back vibe and the good old fashioned southern style in this poem. Loved the way you depicted the south. My family comes from there, so this really made me happy. This made me smile a lot. Great stuff here. Keep at it. :)

[Mark]

As a born and raised Southerner, I approached a Brit's poem of the South with tongue in cheek, prepared for guffawing fit at the inconsistencies.
Rats. Didn't find any! Well, unless your route from Alabama to Lynchburg (northeast), then back to Baton Rouge (southwest) was a little circumlocuitous.But the writing had me taking deep, nostalgic breaths, and that's a good thing! Speaking of "86-year-old men...plucking guitar strings", would you give a look at my poem/slash/blues song, ""Bettah Dan I Knew I Could"?

Luke my dear friend, wow....I was taken with you again! what a rich write. Full of nostalgy, and details only you can come up with. One of my favs of you! As i never been there, you again took me! thanks. Wonderful write.

[Miranda Manne]

How beautiful, how warm! I love when you write about cats, since you seem to capture them so well and use them to put your point across. Thank you for another charming work.

[brandon beacon hill]

Found it! Well done!! nicely observed and described. Never really spent too much time in the south, this make me want to make a trip there. You invite us to have an experience with you by saying tag along if you like....then you give us your experience and then invite us to want more!!! Love that!

[Writingfox]

Mmm mm mm honey, makes me want a good bourbon and my childhood home. Being from the south... I can say good job with this. It's so antebellum.

[James K]

really enjoyed this and how you incorporated history along with it.

[Coyote Poetry]

Best days of my life were spend in the South. Best music and best food too. I roamed the old cities looking for good music and fun people. Your poem took me back to good days when the music was good and the drink was plenty. Thank you for the excellent poem.
Coyote

[misscb]

I loved the words you used for this so descriptive... Well done!!!

[Robbie~xoxo~]

I'm from the South, and you have captured an Old Southern Blues feel to this fantastic journey! You have taken me home to the Sweet Southern life lived in the Tennessee hill. Fantastic write!

[felioness]

MMMM love to tag along...the blues are very close to my heart and sing in my soul...i loved this write...i was there, right beside you all the way!