Way back in September of twenty-eight
a major storm was turning,
As it blew northwest and across the state
Belle Glade had little warning.
And Okeechobee, a large shallow lake,
lay calm … due west of the town,
By afternoon her waters were churning,
By night … two thousand would drown!
There was desolation from the storm’s wake,
all were flooded by morning.
Not many folks left, to tell of their fate,
or of the water’s surging.
Searching through rubble their hearts did ache,
bodies were strewn all around,
The numbers of dead were mounting ~
Remember … two thousand drowned!
As days became weeks, I have to relate
the scene was overwhelming;
The dead were stacked ~ like boxes and crates
into heaps of bodies burning.
Six weeks would pass, the search would abate
they found what was left to be found,
Now Floridians would begin mourning
For the two thousand that drowned!
So as time passed, survivors were learning
how to get up … when you’re down;
But many would never stop yearning,
For the two thousand that drowned!
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Author notes
Each year Florida awaits to see what's next ... this storm event seemed to be the worst disaster recorded for the period up to that time! September 1928
A contest entry
- Write me a Poem about History {{Editted to Allow Pre-Writes}} by SpydurPoet.
705 points, ended August 19, 2007, 27 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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Wow. That was amazing. You did a really good job portraying emotion in this one. I loved the flow, as well. Thanks for entering the contest!
Write on.
~*~SP~*~
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I had no idea a storm of that magnitude ever struck Florida. It just boggles the mind to think that many folks perished in a natural disaster but we Texans only have to look back to the 1900 storm that struck Galveston to remember just how unforgiving Mother Nature can be. Thanks for the history lesson. I hope you do well in the contest.
Sincerely,
Leo Long
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