The Great Exile

From Acadian frozen shores where the Fundy tides roar and chide, Expelled in '55, British boots brutal on the door, torn tide, Hearts shattered, families scattered like seed in the scream of the storm, Ships of sickness, chained in the black hold, praying for morn through the swarm. Cadians clipped it quick as the old tongue twisted and flicked in the gale, Southbound ghost fleet, fever fleet on the brine beat, sails pale. Delta drew them deep, bayou brew where the Spanish moss creep and keep, Cayan slipped from the lips in the swamp grip, heat deep, look at them frogs leap. Chorus: Acadian crackin' to Cadian snappin', Cayan swayin' in the haze and the flayin', Cajun boilin', fais-do-do toilin', crawfish royal in the mud royal playin'. Exile vile to delta smile, blood flood wild in the kudzu file, Roots shoot through the hurricane brute—we never broke, just remade the style. Swamp hymn spin the old kin grin through the cypress twist and the Spanish kiss, Andouille smoke choke the air rare, jambalaya fire higher than the priest bliss, Fiddle riddle the midnight middle, accordion squeeze tease the lost French treasure, Gator tail scale on the table stable, okra sloka in the roux pleasure. Resilient brilliant brine line shine, deportation damnation turned plantation pride, Mardi Gras mass of the exile class, beads bleed the pain we hide inside— Cajun fusion illusion to truth contusion, blood mud stew in the delta conclusion, Acadian ghost toast the most coast to coast, reborn unbroken in the bayou illusion. Chorus: Acadian crackin' to Cadian snappin', Cayan swayin' in the haze and the flayin', Cajun boilin', fais-do-do toilin', crawfish royal in the mud royal playin'. Exile vile to delta smile, blood flood wild in the kudzu file, Roots shoot through the hurricane brute—we never broke, just remade the style. Live oak smoke, alligator grins while the priest twists the French in the mist, Zydeco squeeze tease the old prayers squeezed till the new beat kissed, Evangeline chase through the cypress lace, Longfellow lied but the real ache stayed, Levee heavy with sun slanted, gumbo rue true in the pot slanted flayed. Tight triple ripple in the cane brake shake, internal infernal flames wake, Same pain reframed, new name reclaimed, Grand Pré flames still dance in the veins tame. Cast-iron stir the roux true, hurricane crew born anew from the blue rue, Acadian exodus struck us, Cajun tough us—moss cross the blood through. Chorus: Acadian crackin' to Cadian snappin', Cayan swayin' in the haze and the flayin', Cajun boilin', fais-do-do toilin', crawfish royal in the mud royal playin'. Exile vile to delta smile, blood flood wild in the kudzu file, Roots shoot through the hurricane brute—we never broke, just remade the style.