Sunday, September 3, 2017

The Storm Named Harvey (bh & ah) 2017/ The Sunday Whirl -- Sunday's Whirligig -- Poets United

The Storm named Harvey (bh & ah) 2017

we were warned                       fox and farmer             songbirds and butterflies

the storm was on the horizon               a category four             before landfall

the water choppy          and would continue to ravage             during the night

and the days that followed/        the wind blew                          the rain fell



songbirds ceased to sing                       the streets began to flow like rivers

when the rains stopped             and the sun began to shine       i rubbed my eyes                     

it was a place i no longer knew             the last tomatoes on the vine    were swept away

along with cars and trucks        pets and patio furniture            homes flooded



damage was everywhere           it was like an evil spell             only to be broken

by the goodness of the heart       neighbor helping neighbor       lives saved

tomorrow                                 we begin again                         in a new world

time will be divided                 by (bh) before harvey              and (ah) after harvey


September 3, 2017

Note:  It is only the beginning of hurricane season, for many years we have been warned, the storms will be bigger, and will do more damage.  The sea will become the enemy, people will flee to higher ground.

I was not there for Harvey, but the Texas Gulf Coast is where I was born and where I lived until I moved to the mountains some 20 years ago.  There were many storms while I lived there, but none as bad as Harvey, and it is probable that Harvey will not be the last.  My poem was based on my experience of past storms.






           


                                     

13 comments:

Jae Rose said...

You give the storm due homage

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Annell, I didnt know that you hailed from Texas. The newscasts must make you sad. I, too, have been so impressed by how heroic ordinary people become in such situations, all perceived differences forgotten, human helping fellow human. You have described it well. We will be seeing more of these climactic events, I am afraid.

John Buchanan said...

thank you I enjoyed this very much.

Gillena Cox said...

As metaphor this is truly heartbreaking

"it was a place i no longer knew the last tomatoes on the vine were swept away"

much love...

brudberg said...

Alas... I wonder if there will be Harvey after Harvey... and reading about Asia flooding coinciding I think we will see more in years to come.

Paul John Dear said...

Storms are still gonna come. Bigger and bolder I think.A very well thought out piece.

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

Yes, there is a horrible inevitability about it. Your description (based on recollections) vividly recreates the details.

Mary said...

You have given a vivid picture of what it is like, Annell. I do think that Harvey is a sign of things to come. But, of course, there is NO climate change. Sigh.

tonispencer said...

A very vivid and moving poem. I weep to think of the last tomatoes, people, and pets swept away. But I also smile to think of the very human commitment to rescue and helping these people. Your poem moved me to tears.

indybev said...

Descriptive and poignant. You're right, nothing will ever be the same. So sad.

Old Egg said...

Humankind has always tempted nature when they chose to settle somewhere, thinking that long term gain would outweigh the danger of raging wind, flood, earthquake, or avalanche. It works for most of the time but then nature will remind us not to be complacent as it is in charge!

ayala said...

Poignant and well captured. The worst hurricane I went through was Wilma. It was tough. My heart breaks for all the people affected by Harvey.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

"it was a place i no longer knew the last tomatoes on the vine were swept away" ..this is so touching..

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