Heartbreak Hotel

New York is a half a continent
away for the Katrina 480
Evacuees navigate a cutthroat
market with no money
bunk in hotels around the boroughs

FEMA's deadlining to stop footing
the bill. We stranded with propaganda
from Homeless Services. It’s spartan
at the Apollo Hotel—no closets, drawers
& telephones. People go hungry
when Red Cross is in denial

Desperation numbness
Outrage at criminals who do
no more than file cases how
New Orleans people are different
in their way of life
—it’s a tricky vibe no matter
how you answer the questions

The caseworker doesn't come
She's like, “Oh, well, I'm at home”
It’s stupid—no reason, trying
to tell me all kinds of reasons
They got their money

At NYU I talked to a nice lady.
I felt really happy that day
for the first time in a long
long time since the hurricane

And then there're times
when it's been really, really rough
I really miss my home
I miss my friends
I miss the way of life I had.
I don't know what I'd do without it

Then there’re ultimatums
If they don't have funding
get the hell out of Iraq
get the hell out of Iraq
take care of your own people

If a man has a family
and he's off with somebody
else's family, paying their bills
his own family's suffering
—you gotta take care of your own
people first and your own country

They want us in space
for murders & robberies
let’s talk about responsibility
& faith in government.
I fucking hate them. I was
stuck down there, the police
did not know what to do
too dangerous for FEMA
to come in. How do you think
that made us feel stuck down there
—the mayor shooting at people
making them turn around?

He gave orders to the police
force to do it. We heard
the announcement, twin span
completely out, we were told
there was no way out
of the city. You expected
someone to come in & help
I feel claustrophobic
in my room. You can't keep
anything organized
There isn't a drawer to keep
anything in. You can't eat
anything here, there's no phone

They're treating you like
you're a welfare addict, like
someone who's never worked
a day in her life. You spend
your whole day filling out forms
like what you put poor people
through. I don't even bother
anymore. It's such a comic thing
—food stamps: you want a full-time
job; they got you at a work center
eight hours a day for food stamps
I don't have a legitimate 1040
& they kicking me out
telling me to bounce

I don't enjoy this kind of public
assistance—just getting by to get
on my feet. It's too long, too much

My dad passed away
in the hurricane in Chalmette
in a tidal wave. He got to the attic
with medicines, died
with a full gallon of water
unopened. I hope it was
quick—a heart attack
not a snakebite—how you deal
with that? I've never been
treated in this manner
but they don't care. I have
money to pay but they don't want
to hear that. We been here
almost three months. They wait
for the deadline to help us