Water Hyacinth & The Bayou Poem by Nika McGuin

Bonsoir cher!
Sit down, and let me tell you
about a girl I once knew
she lived down the ol' bayou
know that what I'll say is true:

Pheromones seemed to waft off of her skin
drawing all the neighborhood boys in
one by one they'd get close
and of her they would each take a dose
only to vanish from her heart's vicinity
taking her purity, and leaving her empty
a cold shell of who she used to be

She had so changed
her priorities were all rearranged
and from me she became estranged

That alone was painful enough
without every smile now being a disguised bluff
every visit because she needs stuff
like a water hyacinth she'll drain me dry, sure enough
making the bayou between us impossible to luff

More painful than not seeing her
is seeing her, and being fed doses of poisoned sugar
more painful than seeing who she's become
is seeing her, doing the same thing to me

Those boys may have taught her
that the world is cruel and cold
though it was half-lies they've told
she was young and easy to mold

Now she goes around
passing out frowns
taking warmth from others
never giving it back
good qualities she had as a girl
she now deeply lacks

The thing is, we were once great friends
now we stand on opposite river bends
I don't know how this story ends
on her, it all depends

Oui, there was once a girl I knew
who lived down the ol' bayou
inside her coldness grew and grew
now knowing her only makes me blue
so stubborn is her water hyacinth hue