bridge is broken eyes closed the openness of sight ice blocks dying from the heat shadows running across the clock daggers dulled by apathy an ad for yesterday’s bread let freedom bend its limbs let the child cry in the closet he calls in the basement is an apple core near the old school with the crippled roof singing love songs to a vase a Tuesday with no wind a jar of molasses on a truck bed: honeybee wings forgotten in a mailbox they expect more than fresh footprints bridge is empty bridge is empty abridged

  Away I'd like to tickle your nose Goodness knows Smoke out your car And dance in the stars Take long walks And talk long talks Hang up on our lives And just fucking drive Away

 

 

 

  It’s unfortunate you think me closed When I am being an open book Where I have simply just closed this chapter If you remain a character in my novel I leave that decision up to you For love is love, it shouldn’t be forced It is always enough for me Though love, itself, needs room to grow Wise lovers had to break up to meld together

. As a little Catholic boy I was always taught not to sin.  Sin is bad, Sin is evil, Sin is destructive. Yet I sinned and sinned and sinned again. But I knew everything would be better and I would be forgiven. All I had to do was tell a priest and say a few prayers. I was a kid then, and I appreciated that life could be so simple. All of my wrong could be made right by simple absolution. But as I got older I found it more and more difficult  To hide from the evil that lurked within me. I was a tortured soul with a devilish streak  That hid behind a mask of self-hatred and disgust. I abused others and justified my actions. I abused myself which directed my fate. As a child it seemed that absolution was such a simple thing. Forgiveness was easy. As an adult I realized that the absolution I craved Had to come from others. And the absolution I searched for Led to destruction and despair. I mutilated my mind, my soul and my body In ways any normal human being would have though...

 Happy Mardi Gras! Louisiana Words will be back with new content on Sunday, April 6th! 

 Louis Toliver Jr. reads at Louisiana Words Live: New Year, New Words on Sunday, January 12th, 2025 at The Allways Lounge & Cabaret in New Orleans, LA. 

 Sam Ray reads at Louisiana Words Live: New Year, New Words on Sunday, January 12th, 2025 at The Allways Lounge & Cabaret in New Orleans, LA. 

It took awhile To push past the bad The negativity and hurt But once it happened It was as if a flower bloomed Inside of me And my heart grew larger Yet smaller Larger to hold more love More happiness and joy Smaller to expel the dampening effects Of the annoyances The heartbreaks and the failures Less things to drag me down Allowing me to love with all of me.

Some of it's pleasure  Some of it's pain, Sometimes feeling like the broken tracks Of a crazy train, Knowing the ride can be fun, Knowing it's mostly scary, Sometimes feeling like the broken emotions Need to be buried, Sometimes some make up, Sometimes none at all, Wondering if esteem, or hope and faith Will fall, And down will come baby, cradle and all, Knowing the who people see, Will surely soon die, Being reborn a new life, To girl from guy, But never did The guy exist, You knew he was a mask, The girl wore to hide Happiness missed, Growing tired of the heat costumed, Tearing away the disguise, The buried girl inside exhumed, The first sight of sunshine, The first breath of fresh air, The first ever smile worn, Without giving a care, Of what society thinks, Of what the public will say, Stepping out the door, The first time as you today, The whispers The looks The bait on the hooks, Misleading the guys some say, The lure unintended, You just are who you are, A broken lif...

I know that sometimes what I see isn’t what I see. I know that sometimes what I hear isn’t what I hear. I know that sometimes what I think isn’t what I think. I know that sometimes what I feel isn’t what I feel. I know that my eyes are for sight; not vision. I know that my ears are for sound; not listening. I know that my mind is for thoughts; not understanding. I know that my heart is for passion; not loving. I know this because my eyes can see what no else can see. I know this because my ears can hear what no one else can hear. I know this because my mind can think what no one else can think. I know this because my heart can feel what no one else can feel. I know that what I can see with my own eyes can help me to envision others more clearly. I know that what I can hear with my own ears can help me to listen to others with complete understanding. I know that what I think with my own mind can help me to inspire others in faith, hope and love. And I know that what I feel with my own h...

 

 

 

Noah Tapper reads at Louisiana Words Live: New Year, New Words on Sunday, January 12th at the Always Lounge & Cabaret.

  Paige McRae reads at  Louisiana Words Live: New Year, New  Words on Sunday, January 12th at the Always Lounge & Cabaret.

 

r ender me senseless and I'll show u shamelessness u can't extinguish this this intenseness u'll never bear for us let's keep the resistance at a level of constance for all existence we'll ride them shitless

I kind of miss you But its hard to miss someone that doesn't care When I surround myself With people that love me truly I feel loved Imagine that! People that enjoy my company and act like it Not just when its convenient Or unavoidable Or even just when I ask to see you No big deal though Even though this is hurtful I've been through way worse I'll just console myself With people who actually are interested in me I'm sorry my life isn't dramatic enough for you To take the time of day to text me Or catch up For any reason much less the simple fact that you love me Just be honest and admit That you don't.

S ensing that I am okay E xpecting that everything is just as it should be R especting my rights to have and express my feelings E njoying the tranquility in my life N ever giving up on myself I ntuitively knowing that I am who I strive to become T eaching others through my experience and my truth Y earning for the best of myself always

  Les Patin reads at Louisiana Words Live: New Year, New Words on Sunday, January 12th at the Always Lounge & Cabaret.

  Louis Toliver Jr. introduces Louisiana Words Live and discusses how Louisiana Words works for the community.

Look into my eyes tell me what you see Look beneath the lies tell me what will be Listen to my cries help me off my knees Listen to my "whys" help me find the key  Lift me to the skies  teach me how to flee Lift me from the ties  teach me to be free Look into my fears  tell me what is real  Look beneath my tears  tell me how to deal  Listen while I'm here help me to reveal  Listen while I'm near help me to be healed Lift me from the smear  teach me what to seal Lift me and appear teach me how to feel

I n Dustin Gaspard’s song, “Just a Little”, he asks, “Am I living longer or just dying slower?” There have been many times in my life that I’ve pondered the same thing. I had spent the past twenty-seven years trying to recreate my first fifteen seconds of fame by devoting my second attempt at success in life to making my next fifteen seconds of fame mean something different; I succeeded each time, but different didn’t necessarily mean good. Beginning the journey of my second life was also the beginning of my downfall into the abyss of alcoholism and substance abuse. I saw my life spiraling out of control but refused to do anything to make the rest of my life any better; I was dying anyway, so it really didn’t matter. I remember seeing a movie called “The Help”, which began to change the trajectory of my life in only my second year of sobriety. There is a line near the end of the movie where Allison Janney’s character, Charlotte, tells her daughter, Skeeter (played by Emma Stone), that,...

Her eyes were dark  Like the petals on a dying rose Cloudy as the smoke that trailed from her lips The day had worn her down She felt like the used eraser at the end of a pencil, nothing left but the harsh metal rim Her body wanted sleep Folding into the chair as if she were sinking into a lover's embrace Her glass tipping, falling from her fingertips And crashing to the floor in spearlike fragments

 

 

  It’s  here! Louisiana Words Live: New Year, New Words is now available on LouisianaWords.com!     Our last live show was held Sunday, January 12th at the Allways Lounge & Cabaret in New Orleans. Louisiana Words Live was hosted by J. Michael Norris and featured writers: Sam Ray, Les Patin, Paige McRae, and Noah Tapper. The creator of Louisiana Words, Louis Toliver Jr., also introduced and read at the show.   All videos are. available at LouisianaWords.com and each writers performance will be posted individually throughout the remainder of the winter season.     If you would like to read at our next live show for Spring 2025 or if you would like to submit to Louisiana Words, contact us at louisianawords@gmail.com or message us on FB or Instagram (@louisianawords1)!  Louis Toliver Jr. introduces Louisiana Words Live and discusses how Louisiana Words works for the community. Les Patin reads. Sam Ray reads. Noah Tapper reads. Paige McRae reads....

I remember the day I found God, when I was sitting around in the darkness upset about yesterday. I felt this sudden, divine force as she dusted me off and placed my feet on solid ground. I couldn’t figure out what God was, but she placed a pencil down on a table in the darkness and told me to “Sit down and write.” And so, I began. She then told me that I needed to unshackle those chains of past guilt and worry.    I didn’t really know what I was writing or why I was writing it. Suddenly, the pen changed into a key and it just so happened to be the right-sized key to unlock the chains I carried. When I looked up to see where God was, she had left me in the darkness, alone…so, I thought. Then, I looked down to the notepad I was writing on and I was surprised that I had no idea that I had written the word “future” on it. It was clear that God had given me this ability, this part of her. I recognized that using this ability was my way of staying connected to God. The key. So now, ...

I looked above conflict and peace befell upon me. I walked over hate and love absorbed me. I stood against power and humbleness became me. I crossed the path of death and life overwhelmed me. I glimpsed beneath deception and truth lifted me. I threw away a grudge and forgiveness came to me. I battled depression and happiness showered me. I let go of anger and laughter followed me. I stared at bitterness and warmth enveloped me. I challenged defeat and victory led me.

This evening I am a karaoke star I thank those roaring crowds Sing my heart out and say goodnight Tonight I am a prostitute Selling my wares at a local bar Show that skin to yet another meal ticket This morning I am a young professional Typing furiously on a keyboard Eyes locked onto a screen that furthers my career At lunch I am an alcoholic Downing drinks before returning to a dead end job Counting down the hours till the day ends This afternoon I am a country girl Yearning for a muddy four wheeler Perhaps a cowboy to sweep me off my feet This evening I am a flapper Dancing coolly through a club Cigarette drooping from my pouting mouth Tonight I am somebody's true love Holding them tightly in my bed Dreaming of something just a little better This morning I am a gambler Staying at the casino until day breaks Holding tightly to my lucky dice This high noon I am a mother Chaperoning children to a movie Wearily breaking up the same fight for the fourth time This afternoon I am a libr...

 

 

 

Laissez les bon temps rouler! Louisiana Words is officially a nonprofit organization! We are celebrating at our next   Louisiana Words Live  show: New Year, New Words !   Louisiana Words Live  is hosted by J. Michael Norris. The show will also include  Sam Ray, Les Patin, Paige McRae, and Noah.  The creator of Louisiana Words, Louis Toliver Jr., will be closing the show and giving the details of the future of Louisiana Words as a nonprofit organization.  Louisiana Words Live: New Year, New Words  is Sunday, January 12th at The Allways Lounge & Cabaret @ 7:30pm. This is a FREE SHOW! There will be an open mic!  If you would like to read at the next live show for our open mic or submit to  Louisiana Words , contact us at louisianawords@gmail.com or message us on FB or Instagram (@louisianawords1)!

Creator of Louisiana Words, Louis Toliver Jr., introduces the year as a nonprofit organization! We are offering FREE marketing for LGBTQIA+ writers who live or have lived in Louisiana! The new season of Louisiana Words starts the Winter 2025 season on Sunday, January 5th (LouisianaWords.com). The next Louisiana Words Live show is Sunday, January 12th @ 7:30pm at the Allways Lounge @ Cabaret in New Orleans. To submit content or reading in the next show, please contact us via social media or email us at louisianawords@gmail.com! 

 

Fighting for my life In a world you cannot see; In my hand I hold a knife And wait for what’s to be; Like the man who beats his wife, My anger held inside of me; Living with the strife, Is this to be my destiny? Trapped behind the wall, Solemn as I’ll ever be; Listening for that call, The one that sets me free; Hoping not to fall, Climbing for eternity; To climb this wall so tall, I know will be my destiny.

  Even if I gave you the attention that you crave still, still, still, this is how you would behave Even if I let you bury me in a deep, dark cave still, still, still, it would not be my grave. Even if I told you to change the way that you act nothing would ever change fact, fact, fact

  Stone cold tears on Tuesday  My fears are bathing my skin  Monday didn't go as planned They say it's a man's world  If so, the universe has little to offer  Life is full of destinies unfulfilled Yet my heart won't hold back  My heart can't hold back  If i cry, it's because I love life  What is my spirit without family? What is my soul without harmony?  Inside all of us is a design to grow Yet my future is malnourished Being a man, there is no space to breathe   If love gets away from me, what then?  I think of the human condition  A life fit to live honestly  A journey that becomes more than man  All we are promised but never obtain  It's sad to watch the sun go down