Title: Mystified by James Lee Burke
Poem:
Takes you to a mangrove swamp.
Gators, coons, egrets.
And popup catfish bubbles.
Motor launch wakes.
Smell of fish bream..
Fish bait shack of
Detective Dave Robichaud
Kicked out of New Orleans PD
For indiscretions together with
His best buddy Clete Purcell.
They get their man, in crazy ways.
When Clete is not busy
Chasing bail jumpers as P. I.
Or seeking out his
Illegitimate Daughter.
Or some new motel fling.
Applying his massive size
And scarred fists.
When the job requires.
Pink Cadillac. Po’Boy sandwiches.
Dave is an alcoholic.
Knows the drill
Has friends who help.
And also with the
Horrific dreams of terrifying
Tunnels of Viet Nam.
There will usually be some
Rich local family holding
Most of the chips.
Living, eating, driving, dealing
Fancy and entitled. Play acting.
Perhaps wife was an old Flame of Dave’s.
Drunk, he piled up
A lot of that.
Sober he landed upon all of the answers.
Approaches to victorious arrests.
And sweeter nights near
Lake Pontchartrain.
Poet: Doug Blair
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