New Orleans, my heart, my home, my muse,
Today, the air is heavy, a bittersweet hue.
From beignets in hand as a child in the Quarter,
To Mardi Gras parades where my laughter soared farther.
Your streets held my stories, my roots running deep,
A tapestry of memories I’ll always keep.
The rhythm of jazz, the scent of the night,
The soul of this city, a beacon of light.
I married here, raised my children with care,
Educated, built dreams, found life to share.
Every corner holds whispers of love and of pride,
A bond so unbreakable, so hard to describe.
But today, I grieve for what’s been torn—
Lives shattered, bright futures unworn.
On Bourbon Street, where joy always reigned,
An unspeakable act left us all pained.
I think of the mothers, the fathers, the kin,
The friends mourning lives that might have been.
Their grief echoes mine as I hold my own near,
Three children I cherish, a life full of fear.
How could such darkness try to take away,
The light that shines in our city each day?
Cowardly acts can never dim the flame,
Of a spirit unyielding, a city by name.
New Orleans, we are strong, we endure,
Through storms, through heartache, our spirit is pure.
We are resilient, proud, and unbowed,
We rise again, we sing aloud.
For no act of terror, no shadow of hate,
Can break the bond or alter our fate.
We are New Orleans, together we’ll stand,
A city of love with an unshakable hand.
From the first time I walked down your storied streets,
To the present, where sorrow and resilience meet,
Your charm, your culture, your endless beauty,
Remain a comfort, a sacred place.
As a child, I learned the rhythm of your soul,
Your brass bands, your blues, the stories you told.
With every note, every beat, every song,
You taught me that here is where I belong.
Through hurricanes, loss, pandemics and now this pain,
We’ve proven we’ll rise again and again.
New Orleans, your people, so vibrant, so strong,
Will carry your melody, our lifelong song.
I raised my children to love you as I do,
To cherish your beauty, your spirit so true.
From their first second line to their last school play,
You’ve shaped their lives in every way.
It’s hard to imagine what’s been taken away,
The futures extinguished, the dreams led astray.
But even in sorrow, even in strife,
We hold fast to love, to hope, to life.
Oh, New Orleans, my heart aches for the lost,
For the innocence stolen, for the unthinkable cost.
Yet I see in your people a glimmer, a spark,
A refusal to let our city grow dark.
We honor the victims, the lives cut too short,
Their stories will live in the streets they’ve walked.
And we, the survivors, with courage and grace,
Will rebuild the love in this cherished place.
Through the laughter of children, the clinking of glasses,
The music that rises and never passes,
We’ll find our way, we’ll heal, we’ll grow,
For New Orleans’ heart is a flame that will glow.
And when I walk through your streets once more,
I’ll remember the joy that we’re fighting for.
For every corner, every cobblestone,
Carries a story that we call our own.
New Orleans, you’re more than a city, you’re soul,
A mosaic of life, a spirit whole.
Through trials and tears, through laughter and song,
We are New Orleans, where we all belong.
So let the world know, let it be clear,
That no act of terror can bring us to fear.
We are strong, we are proud, we are free,
We are New Orleans, for eternity.
M. Ibay
