It gives us pause when angry Mother Earth
Chastises us, the children of her birth,
And with her heavy hand, the hurricane,
Makes us seem small by merely wind and rain.
If you were judge, who would you choose to save?
Would you show both the craven and the brave
The same amount of mercy? Would you run,
Extend a helping hand, or load a gun?
I was not there, I have no tale to tell,
I only hear the echoes of the bell –
And there but for the grace of God go I.
Another time and place, and I shall die.
Of such severe emotions I’m no thief;
Let those who can articulate their grief,
While some who saw what Nature’s wrath can wreak
Stay silent. Give respect – they cannot speak.
Author notes
Not entered to win. Entered only to show respect.
Written August 28th, 2006
In a list
A contest entry
- Katrina by SereneAzure.
525 points, ended April 1, 2008, 10 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 41 of 41
-
nice
Thank you for entering! This is well written, and the rhyme works well. Good luck! -
-
Hi, thank you. I missed your comment and didn't even realise the contest was over.
(Thank you for giving silver to chordphrute. She is very special, and lived through it. Her personal descriptions as well as her poems are very vivid and moving.)
-
-
Very nice Mairi. And nice of you to think of them like this.
-
-
Someone very special I know lived through it. I think this one is a little stiff and formal, but the gravity of the situation suggested it.
(Did I really not reply to anyone in 2006?)
-
-
Riveting and unnerving- loved it.
-
I've come upon that time of year when two terrible anniversaries
are shared within weeks of each other, neither one wanted
but as a nation we bow our heads in respect anyway. I only
saw the outer bands of this swirling storm, where no rain, winds
or destruction lay, and it's beauty was breathtaking,
but it sickens me to know how life taking it was.
"And there but for the grace of God, go I" Mairi, no truer
words can be spoken. Your tribute to this terrible
disaster is heartfelt and true. Lapoe.
Edited on Aug 29, 9:58 because ''. -
Enjoyed reading this reminder of nature's forces and the damage and destruction they can wreck upon society. How quickly a year has passed - and hurricane season is upon us again. What is instore for those who live in the zone this year? Easy to read and understand what you have written in these lines.
-
WOW... THAT'S GREAT
-
WE experienced Tsunami.We saw the devastation to humanlives and property.Your piece is interesting.
-
From a poetic aspect its amazing, the symbolism is great. Yet as i do not agree with your views thats beside the point. I likes the piece and keep up the great work.
-
Poetic Mastermind
This poem was magnificient ... I personally hate the fact that so many want to take an act of nature and turn it into a political and or racial war between states. Granted New Orleans is a sinful place but if you can show me a place in this world that isn't I will bow down and kiss your dirty stinky toes (you not being the writer or readers being figurative hehe) I think that what happened to them was horrible and that they should be able to rebuild the city. I think that if Bush promises funds he should deliver. I think that IF someone dinamited the dams they should be brought to justice. I do know though that for quite a while on the news (I lived in FL at the time so I paid VERY close attention to the hurricanes) BEFORE Katrina hit they said it was shifting in that direction and to take precautions. They should have left. It may not have been an act that saved their houses but would have saved many a life. Oh well I digress........ -
Darling mb
Katrina, a beautiful name
now revealing our shame
not from Mother Nature
yet from pomposity sure.
Smoosh
Janet -
touching
one of my teachers used to live in louisiana, and he loved it. on the first day of school last year, katrina hit, and i saw him almost break down and cry. his family made it out, and they were relocated in texas somewhere. they lost everything, and as far as i know, they haven't been able to go back to see what became of their home. this piece is so timely. thank you for sharing your words with AP. -
This was a well structured piece as well as an interesting take on Katrina. I myself have written a piece on it but it was a political piece concerning the treatment of the people in New Orleans. This is the first piece about Katrina I have read that came from a "Nature" standpoint.
Very refreshing.
John -
Very fine!
-
Yes, I applaud your empathy and for remembering this catastrophe. I watched this on television, frightened beyond belief for the lives of the few people I know in the hurricane stricken areas. I know that many South Africans, as Orion so rightly said, watched with shock and horror as well. We are not used to natural disasters like this as we very rarely encounter any of them. The worst we experience are some floods on an irregular basis. My heart goes out to all those in this city that I have always wanted to visit. Let's hope that the mardi gras spirit we always see will make a difference. Once again, thanks for remembering.
-
This is a great poem. I've read a lot of poems about hurricane katrina and I like this one the best. It was such a terrible day, my half sister, nephew, niece, and brother-in-law were almost in the storm but they got out of their city in time. Sadly not everyone got out of their city in time. Well done
-
good
this is so good. it flows well, is thought provoking and powerful. I love the first stanza:
It gives us pause when angry Mother Earth
Chastises us, the children of her birth,
And with her heavy hand, the hurricane,
Makes us seem small by merely wind and rain
the image of mother earth chastising us with her "heavy hand" meaning the hurricane. wow, that is a mental image. good job with this one. -
Thank you for writing such a poignant piece. I too was not there. Everyone I know in South Africa watched in horror as "with her heavy hand, the hurricane" came down and tore up earth and man building and child. The devastation is unbelievable. Sometimes I don't understand the why. I think to that there must be a reason behind God's will, but what? Who can question that? Not me. Thank you for sharing. I'm moved to tears as I remember those frightful moments and the communities hearts shattered as their homes were gutted.
-
Hi, a very good poem, natures force is mind bending at times, let's hope it does not happen again, well written poem, all the best, hugs Di
-
As it happens I just read an interesting article in my paper ( see www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1860225,00.html ) about Katrina. It appears that New Orleans' previous population of 450,000 is still down to 200,000, and much of the city is still in ruins mainly because promised aid from the Bush federal government hasn't materialised. It also appears that rumours are circulating that some of the levees were dynamited dursing the hurricane by white property developers in order to get hold of the poorer black districts. Apparently this ACTUALLY happened in 1927 and (allegedly) again in 1965.
And now Ernesto is on his way to Florida. Probably the first of many this season as global warming continues.
Sad, sad, sad.
-
I was watching a piece on the UK news last night about people from New Orleans who had their homes and lives devastated by Katrina. This poem is fantastic, it flows so well and is easy to understand. The imagery is fantastic too. That first stanza :
It gives us pause when angry Mother Earth
Chastises us, the children of her birth,
And with her heavy hand, the hurricane,
Makes us seem small by merely wind and rain.
just makes us all seem so insignificant in the scheme of things, such a tiny part of the plan, vulnerable almost.Well done on an awesome piece.
Claire
-
excellent
you did an honorable job with just taking the time to remember. May we all be so gracious and keep those that have lost so much in our thoughts, and may that have taught us that we really do need each other as people, as neighbors, as helpers...doing whatever we can within our power. That was surely a sad time (and still is) for I doubt that some will ever completely recover)
Thanks for sharing tis with us all as a reminder to stop and count our blessings (even if just for a moment)
z
reenie
-
This is excellent! really well written and heartfelt.
-
wow thats amazing i just got home a few weeks ago from a missions trip down in mississippi, it was amazing and life changing and i really loved what u wrote, these people living there are going threw hell, and from the looks of it will being going threw this hell everyday for almost the next 10 years. there is still clothes in trees and we went to the ocean and i found a pillow, a shoe, and some china...people, not even poor people but everyda middle class people have to rebuild there homes, still pay for the house they lost, and do it all from there own pocket cuz insurence doesnt cover it, now i dont know many familys that can do that, specialy if say one of the adults of the house lost there job....its devistating
-
Truly brought to life from an outsider's view, but compassion you have and I can see what you have penned here came from within, as you write out of respect. I'm liking these lines that speak from those not there...
I was not there, I have no tale to tell,
I only hear the echoes of the bell –
And there but for the grace of God go I.
Another time and place, and I shall die.
You share your well expressed works here, and it drew me in with each passing line....Thanks for sharing, I must applaud this, well done!
-Timothy
-
Excellent
Eloquently written and pertinent reminder of that terrible time, Mairi. Well done.
Regards
Bill -
A fitting poem for Poetry Planet tonight! I shall post it before I go to bed...Okay?....The people in the West will sigh and say 'tis true...and and remember....
Marilynn
-
Such a topic..I respect
We choose to live in places man was never meant to dwell
and then complain when all we build is sent to Hell.
Katrina was a wench that proved it to be true... and your poem is a fine tribute to it, too! -
beautiful
Incredible visual... beautiful writing, thanks for sharing your wonderfully talented piece of work. Good luck with future writes. -
I didn't put it out there as a piece of great art.
-
This has its childish moments, but the sincerity and compassion help to make it a pretty decent work. Not bad! - oce
-
eloquently put. many of us who were not dirrectly affected by katrina still feel much sorrow and donated what we could spare. I don't really believe Bush is to blame. All of government is. I just don't think they were prepared for sucvh tragedy.
-
so eloquent in rhyming lines your poem stands different in bringing out the pathos at the tragedy caused by angry nature.even History pauses for a moment to stare at nature and people involved in happenings like this
-
this was a very well put out piece full of emotion and great detail. Ipersonally was not close to this but have been praying for those whom have had to cope with their loss, and those who are battling about still wondering where their life will go. I must say i am thankful we have such great caring poets that can put these aspects into such beautiful words. You did a great job, Thanks so much for sharing.
Blessings
vsutton -
I'm very close to the Katrina devastated area in my heart and separated physically by only a few hundred miles (which is not a long distance if you live where I do). Certainly, I have seen first hand the after effects of this disaster because I live in Houston where about 100,000 of the victims came for help. Here, over 300 miles away, there were bare shelves in grocery stores for weeks. Gasoline was in very short supply, and getting prescriptions filled was difficult at best. Although my home was not damaged, I was among the 3 million people who were manditorially evacuated from Houston just weeks later to avoid Rita. I can't even begin to imagine the horror of living in New Orleans or coastal Mississippi during Katrina.
I will never understand why the US government failed us so miserably, other than the obvious answer that our fearless leader is a failure. A hurricane of similar, if not larger, force struck the New England coast in 1938 and damaged over 1,000 miles of coastland - killing 700 people, and in some cases changing the face of the coast forever. FDR sent unemployed men who were part of the WPA program and 10's of thousands of them went to work almost immediately cleaning up the mess and helping to re-build. Our unemployed men and women griped because the hurrican victims were taking up time and resources from city and state agencies. What are we coming to?
Your poem is a stark reminder of the tragedy of last summer. We have a lot of reminders, but not many so eloquent as yours. I, for one, appreciate that someone so far away has taken notice of the event. You restore my faith in remembrances and humanity.
Shiny Sis
-
Through disasters eyes -- Humanity re writes history in love and passion you have created a heart for all who were affected by the over whelming wrath of Katrina and you have sung your song well, Know that this is a very powerful interlude in whats to come of mother nature, As human beings and artists we can help sober eyes see the destruction of gods mighty wrath in a different perspective other than costly and negative brilliantly penned thank you for allowing me to read and comment on your work and thank you for sharing your gift with us here on ap..
-
Inspiringly beautiful
Beautifully written. I myself wasn't there either, but I do feel for those people that were left behind. The saddest thing of all, I think, is that a lot of people don't even care anymore about the people and destruction still left there, or have forgotten after only a year. It's wonderful that you've chosen to recognize these people and show them some respect. Great job - it's certainly an inspiring piece.
~Nikki -
super nice
Braav
i like your delicate wordings
You have said all that someone who really hasnt experienced the tragedy, could have. we want to feel the loss and share the burden; (i want to be freakin traumatized, it would give me something to write about) but we werent there, we know what happened to people just like us not too far away, but we cant quite imagine what it would be like, its just out of reach
thats how it made me feel -
Dear poetess,this is well written,indeed there but for the grace of God...
I am heartwarmed that you choose to remember and respect though I beg to differ about keeping own counsel if wasn't there personally.
I was not there physically but my heart and mind felt and prayed for those affected.I donated to the funds raised to send to provide temporary shelters.And I was and am incandescent that Bush went on vacation despite knowing Katrina was forecast,stayed on vacation when it had hit and failed to co ordinate evacuation plans before,during and after.
Global warming means we will experience more situations like Katrina.Out of respect for all those lives lost and all those grieving and without homes Bush has the moral duty to agree to an inquiry,to consolidate emergency plans for the next tragedy and to help combat global warming.
I share my opinion because I genuinly care.The irony is my opinion is worthless and the one person who could make a difference with a caring opinion,Bush,chooses not too.
All those that uphold his inaction as the right reaction would feel very differently if it were their home town and themselves left to the devastation of Katrina.
God bless the survivors and all those that aided them,love and light,Yvette
-
Nicely written. Strong imaging "for one who wasn't there"
Thanks for sharing
Pure Thought
Adding your comment:
1 - 41 of 41
