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 15, 2012

Megann - NOLA Influences

there's a little fountain off of st. peter's street in the french quarter
it's behind the high end tourist stores and candy shops next to cafe du monde
you can find it, i know you can 
just walk down one of the pseudo-carriage entrances and it'll be there
there's a statue in the fountain, and she's made of metal
it's a woman in a dress, looking out and looking in 
every time i go to the french quarter, i stop and look at her. just wondering 
"how many people have walked past her and just simply ignored her? how many sideways glances and look downs did she deal with? how old is her manufactured face? does she have a home? WHO is she?" 
i've never gotten any answers out of her, she's quite stubborn, and kinda quiet. 
so i just picture her as the person who's been visibly invisible her whole life.
a big ceremony was probably dedicated to her installment into our society, but she was probably forgotten as soon as another one was put in place
but i think im beginning to understand who she is
she's the overlooked mother, aunt, grandmother, best friend, wife, daughter, saint, god.

but maybe not. maybe she's just what she looks like.
a hunk of metal
but a hunk of metal 
that makes us feel so many things
that's pretty damn impressive for something that's just a thing if you ask me. 

Megann, age 17