Wednesday, September 17, 2008

After Ike

Lord, that storm was vicious. Left a swath
of damage halfway up the heart of North
America, as if a paintbrush full
of red paint swiped along the Mississippi
drowning bottom-lands and ferry towns.
Just a swipe at Nola, this time—lucky
Louisiana folks gave thanks and hunkered
down to ride it out. But Galveston...

it's like a 'dozer went through, end to end.
Where are they now, evacuees like birds
storm-scattered clear across the continent?
Their eggshell-shattered houses whisper, echo
dying wisps of hurricane-force winds:
The storm has passed. Come home. Come home. Come home.


Collection available! Knocking from Inside

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is good! And so topical..

Tumblewords: said...

Oh, yes. Spot on!

Linda Jacobs said...

Oh, I like this! You really captured the horror!

Stan Ski said...

forced evacuation, curfew; sounds sad that it has to be this way.

Ruth said...

"Eggshell-shattered houses" - this is wonderful.

Annie Jeffries said...

And thank God they are on their way home now. My sister lives 90 miles north of Houston. They got quite a smack themselves too.