PLUS: C‘est la Mardi Gras!

That night on the bayou, back in the wood
Among the tall cypress, our little house stood.

The Lundi Gras moon was dancing away
And we knew that coming was Mardi Gras Day!

Grandpere had stacked the bonfire high
Ready to light it, when Ti Sainte came by.

We listened intently for sounds of his coming
But there was not even a mosquito humming

The gators were sleeping down in the deep
Not even hearing the crawfish creep.

Then came some rustling out in the trees
Little brother held tightly to Mama’s bare knees.

“That’s just a possum,” Papa then said
“Or maybe just an old raccoon instead.”

“You’ll know Ti Sainte is coming our way
When you hear that fiddle tune start up to play.”

Mama said, “Go get the pasca pushkush!”
“Bread baby!” Shouted sister.  Mama said, “Hush!”

“And bring out a bowl of my best sauce picante!”
 We knew it was good luck to feed ol’ Ti Sainte.

So there in the moonlight we waited with care
Watching our foggy breath fill the cold air.

Then Grandmere said, “Listen, is that music I hear?”
As we all leaned forward and cupped a cold ear.

As we silently shivered beneath that big moon
We could hear faintly a sweet fiddle tune.

“Light up the bonfire! Light it up quick!”
Grandpere stepped lively with a burning pine stick.

As the crackling flames reached for the skies
The sparks swirled around like dancing fireflies.

Grandpere took then a swig from his jug
Jumped on the porch and gave Grandmere a hug.

“If Ti Sainte can see us we might have a chance
That he’ll stop by and play a Mardi Gras dance!”

We stared in the darkness, our eyes open wide
Our hearts thumping madly, jumping inside.

Across the dark water a low fog lay
A fish stirred the waters and quick swam away.

Cypress knees rose up out of the ground
Like curious gnomes looking around.

“I see him!” Mama shouted, “Look here he come!”
 We peered in the darkness, our voices struck dumb.

Coming through fog, as if floating on air
Lit by the moon, was his curly gold hair!

Ti Sainte lifted his head at Mama’s bold cry.  
He smiled at us all, a gleam in his eye.  

Riding his pirogue, filled to the brim
Gliding along like the garfish swim.

Standing straight up, right in the middle
Playing his tune on his old bow fiddle

Grandpere then shouted out “C’est la saison!”
“Welcome you are are to our petite maison!”

Without missing a step, he leapt onto shore
Without missing a beat, he played even more.

I marveled to see him, spinning around
Laughing and shouting, “Aaayyy-EEEE!” came the sound.

A green hooded capot threaded with gold
Held with a purple sash, colors so bold

He wore a wool mask around his bright eyes
He shouted to the moon with Indian cries.

He flung off his coat in the heat of the dance
Revealing a leather shirt, and deerskin pants.

Colorful feathers hung off of his arms
I could see gris-gris bags, necklaces, charms

At first he seemed wild and Ma shrieked with fright,
That soon turned to laughter and eager delight.

Playing and skipping around and around
He shouted “Let’s dance on this sacred ground!”

This grand invitation we had to accept,
We joined in behind him and followed each step

We danced and we shouted around the bonfire
It seemed that Ti Sainte would never get tired.

He sang as he played “C’est la Mardi Gras!”
And joined in a dance with laughing Mama.

He stomped like an Indian, did a French pirouette
His face in the firelight gleaming with sweat.

We followed him laughing and shouting with glee
Grandpere and grandmere, the whole family!

He seemed in a trance with long ancient yells
With bangles and beads that jangled like bells

He threw some strange powder into the fire
And bright colored sparks swirled up in a gyre

He rushed to his pirogue and grabbed a small sack
He laid down his fiddle and hurried right back.

“For this grand feu de soir and this beautiful fête
I brought you some gifts, the finest seen yet!”

To each of us he gave some Indian beads
Hand made of hemp string and colorful seeds.

Mama got dried peppers, gumbo filé
Papa a small pipe made out of clay.

Grandmere and Grandpere got baskets so fine
Made from palmetto stalks with Choctaw signs.

Sis got a doll made of cloth tied with leather.
And I a headband, with a hawk feather.  

He paused for a moment, eyes closed in bliss
A prayer in patois sent up with a kiss.

As we gazed upon him, the moment so sweet
Ma brought the bread baby, a traditional treat.

“We aren’t like the rich ones who live in great halls
And dress up for their fancy debutante balls.

"But simple folk living by trick and by trade
Wearing or selling what e’er our hands made.”

As he took a bite and moaned with pleasure
He said, “There is no greater treasure!”

“This blessed house is a chateau tonight
And tomorrow a feast for a king shall be right!

He threw on his capot with quite a grand flourish.“
And now that I’m fed, ‘tis more souls I’ll nourish!”

He leapt to his pirogue and shouted “Merci!”
“I’m off to another house and family to see.

“And they’ll have a bonfire burning so bright!
To light my way through this dark night.

"And when the sun rises, surely you know
I’ll be bound for the city for the big show.

“We’ll march through the streets from dawn until night
We’ll mask and make merry, we’ll be such a sight!

“While you find some chickens to make the gumbo
I’ll play a fiddle as we light the flambeau!

"Au revoir  ‘til next year and a grand bonne soirée
To one and to all, a fine Mardi Gras Day!”

He picked up his pole and pushed out through the fog
As he floated away,  he sang his dance song

Si tu veux passer de bons temps, 
C’est aussi simple qu'un, deux, trois

C’est la saison, bons temps roullez, 
C’est Mardi Gras!

---

The Song: C’est Mardi Gras!

(Fast Tempo, zydeco beat)
I
C’est la saison!  C’est la saison!

Allez tout le monde, de chaque maison
C’est la saison!

Si tu veux passer des bons temps, C’est aussi simple qu'un, deux , trois
C’est la saison, bons temps roullez, c’est Mardi Gras!

II
Bons temps roullez!  Bons temps roullez!

Danse avec moi, s’il te plaît
Bons temps roullez!

Si tu veux passer de bons temps,  C’est aussi simple qu'un, deux, trois
C’est la saison, bons temps roullez, c’est Mardi Gras!

(INSTRUMENTAL)

III
C’est Mardi Gras!  C’est Mardi Gras!

Ville et bayou, rues et bois
C’est Mardi Gras!

Si tu veux passer de bons temps, C’est aussi simple qu'un, deux, trois
C’est la saison, bons temps roullez, c’est Mardi Gras!

Si tu veux passer de bons temps, C’est aussi simple qu'un deux trois
C’est la saison, bons temps roullez, c’est Mardi Gras!

C’est la saison!   Bons temps roullez!  C’est Mardi Gras!