San Gabriel *

It was announced that the bodies of those who died in
New Orleans as a result of Katrina and the lack of an
efficient rescue procedure will be taken to San Gabriel,
Louisiana, where they will be identified in a makeshift
morgue. It's a warehouse, actually, located in a poor,
rural area along the Mississippi River. There are two
prisons nearby. The area was, for many years, home to
patients with leprosy.

Take my body to San Gabriel
Heaven’s any place that isn’t hell
Tell the stories that my lips can’t tell
Take my body to San Gabriel

I had no money for a bus that day
No other place to go to anyway
The levee broke and I did not survive
But you, my daughter, you are still alive
Sing the gospel from your open mouth
Tell the people all about the south
Promise every word you’ll say is true
Don’t let the shadows silence you

Take my body to San Gabriel
Heaven’s any place that isn’t hell
Tell the stories that my lips can’t tell
Take your daddy to San Gabriel

Tell my brother that I love him so
Tell my parish that I had to go
They found me floating with my neighbour, Sal
We never married but I loved that gal
She came around the night before the storm
I made her dinner and I kept her warm
If there’s room, my child, I’m asking you
See if the gatherers can take her, too

Take my baby to San Gabriel
Heaven’s any place that isn’t hell
Go tell the stories that our lips can’t tell
Take our bodies to San Gabriel
Take us home now to San Gabriel

DL

* Gabriel was also known as the Saint of
the Sorrowful Mother

copyrighted by Doug Lang (SOCAN)