. Barman at the Café Royale . …

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Barman at the Café Royale
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That’s Loydo at the bar, the connoisseur
Of books and catalog of southern ghosts,
The jazz historian and raconteur,
An Impresario of Cajun toasts.

Café Royale on Royal Street became
Our quiet haven from the jello shots
On Bourbon. Screw the rancid hurricanes,
The rock ‘n’ roll and raucous tourist spots.

When I sketched Loyd, he spoke of Tennessee
Who lived across the street, his loping fan
Creating ripple light atop the trees
On Iberville: “He’s like our Shakespeare, man.

Not only that, he’s like our Sigmund Freud.”
I had to say it: “Words of wisdom, Loyd”
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Barman at the Café Royale, New Orleans
Oil on canvas