Response to Poems

Compendium of Lost Objects.

I can really relate to this poem. It touches me in ways none of the others could. I was born in New Orleans, and if you’ve ever been there, you could somehow relate to the poem too. New Orleans is a fascinating city. The old buildings, the French Quarter, the many wonderful restaurants, but mostly the culture and the wonderful people of New Orleans will stay with you always. There is a phrase that is often used, “Le Bon Ton Roule,” which translated means “let the good times roll.” This city was alive always. For instance, when people die, they have Jazz funerals. It’s a celebration of the person’s life. Yes, it’s really sad when someone dies, but in our culture, we believe that the “Saints go marching on!” So it’s a ritual to send them along with a celebration.
The entire country was touched by what happened there, and it is still in the back of my mind. It was a very sad time for me and my family. The images from the Superdome which housed so many displaced New Orleans residents, was incomprehensible.
I’m sure the author feels hurt by all that was lost that day, but more profound what she sees and describes in her poem, really rings true. In Cooley’s poem “Compendium of Lost Objects” some of the things described in her poem, like “the pink-shuttered house on the streetcar line/” (line 9), really hits home, because I know where this is. It is uptown where there are old historic homes that were so beautiful, you would never forget them if you saw them. The houses in this area have at least three levels that feature lots of windows with shutters. “The parks Live Oaks” there are many parks there and lots of large old oak trees, made for lovely picnics and family gatherings. (line 7)
The images of people displaced, were heart-wrenching. It was devastating to hear that this hurricane crushed my birthplace. Even though there is a lot of rebuilding, it will never be the same. http://www.nola.com/katrina/; http://www.poemoftheweek.org/id241.html