john doe no. 24

i was standing on the sidewalk in 1945

in jacksonville

illinois

when asked what my name was there came no reply

they said i was a deaf and sightless half-wit boy

but louis was my name

though i could not say it

i was born and raised in new orleans

my spirit was wild

so i let the river take it

on a barge and a prayer upstream

well they searched for a mother and they searched for a father

and they searched till they searched no more

the doctors put to rest their scientific tests

and they named me john doe no. 24"