How do we work?

Once every few weeks a new topic will be displayed on the blog. Young people, ages 5 - 96, will submit their responses. Student writing will be posted as it is received. Know someone that would love to contribute? Pass the word.

Blog #14 Topic Choices:
Write about a place or an aspect of New Orleans that has influenced you OR use the words "Escaping the heat/to get out of the heat..." of New Orleans.

Submission Logistics: Submissions should be in response to the blog topic. Poetry and prose, up to 500 words in length, should be emailed as a Microsoft Word attachment. Emails should include author’s first name, age, and School.

Submissions can be sent to: youngneworleanswritingtogether@gmail.com
Submission due date: May 31st, 2012 @ 5pm

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Ruthie - Message to young NOLA

Living between deities and diets,
TV tells us all we are is a party and a pastry
They see jazz funerals and cemeteries
And flood waters hitting our homes and they say,
That’s New Orleans!
They say we eat and we drink, and sure sure, we do.
They say we party and we pray, and yeah, of course.
They say we’re Bourbon and we’re Basin, and we say, have you been out of the French Quarter?
They’ve got this spotlight on New Orleans so much they can’t see our natural glow.
They hear the myths but won’t wait to hear our story.
But they’ve got New Orleans in their crosshairs now,
They say, we see you! They say, we’ll come down a few days a year,
Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, conventions and conversions, they’ll be here.
Thanks for spending your money, your time!
You never left the quarter, but I guess that’s alright…
There’s more to our city then bars and devastation tours,
They won’t see it.
They’ll go home and say, not too different from my town
Sure, sure, yeah, of course.
Keep kidding yourself.

Ruthie, age 16
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