The Delta Moans


Collard greens
smoked neck bones
a common thread
for Delta's moans.

Rivers flowing south
depositing silt
brings with it traditions
that do not wilt.

Sweet potato pies
buttered cornbread
grandma's legacy
stuck in my head.

All the way from slavery
way past Jim Crow
keeping traditions
won't let them go.

Southern fried catfish
smothered chicken delight
cooked in a cast iron skillet
heating just right.

Blackeyed peas
hamhocks afloat
allows the Delta
to keep its bloat.

Shanti shacks
hold back the rain
storms come and go
then return again.

Not much to save
not a lot can we use
the Delta is definately
home to the blues.

Now every tradition
heard in Delta's moans
causes me to think
my grandma groans.

Del Cano 2005 Oct