23 replies to this topic

[Shortpoet-GTD]

I wrote this a few years back, but if anything, it's more true today than it was then.

Rain 4/16/2009

We all pray for rain,
at least we say we do
but when it comes a torrent
we're not so quick to kneel.

When it comes hard and swift
we glance skyward and wonder,
did I demand too much?
Did I ask for too big a gift?
People say; be careful what you wish for
and now I know it's true and right
I asked for water, for my farm; for my fields
but not for this;
this flood of days; this flood of nights.

This is too heavy; this is too fast
will the levees hold, will the barriers last?
My crops will be flooded, lost for the season
There must be an answer
And I know the warming planet is the reason

The creek beds rise, the rivers swell
the massive thunderstorm is slow to move; it's been here for days.
This pouring rain, brings feet of water, not inches at a time
This can't continue, it's too much to bear
It must stop raining, it's already crossed the barrier's line.

My eyes can only stare and they're raining too
because the river is gaining, and there's nothing I can do.
We break our backs, filling bags with sand,
trying to help neighbors as fast as we can
But it's raining harder now,
and the bags are almost gone.

I don't think we can save the house
the rising waters creep
The attic's full of furniture
the rest is trashed; too wet to keep.

The stench is overwhelming, this river of smells
chemicals and oils; overflowing sewers
all the worst of mans inventions
We've done this to ourselves,
we've ruined our only earth
We never really asked ourselves
what's this planet worth?

It's moving up the lawn now, closer to the house
though it doesn't really matter much,
I'm defeated, tired and worn and I can't stop the rise
The house I built with my own two hands; the precious memories.


A wonderful life, living off the land.
The word I have in my head; despise.
We just had a flood a few weeks back,
and we've barely recovered
But that one was nothing
compared to this, an ankle deep dampness
We thought that was rough
but this time; enough!

I'm tired of the water, the sand and the mud
I'm sick of this water, I've had enough of this flood.
I want some place dry
I want some arid ground
I want some place safe
I want some place sound.

[artistry]

...Well written and highly on point. You are so right, it is very relevant. Good job, very impressive.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

artistry, on 09 November 2011 - 05:30 AM, said:

...Well written and highly on point. You are so right, it is very relevant. Good job, very impressive.

Thank you so much.

[blueeyes]

Very impressive and well written. I do agree, it really is a lot more relevant in this day and age. Flooding and other disastors have become a way of life in this world and I can't help but wonder, did we wish for it?

[Shortpoet-GTD]

blueeyes, on 14 January 2012 - 04:22 AM, said:

Very impressive and well written.

Thank you very much.
I wrote that a few years back when there were a lot of floods. Seems to be continuing.........

[greenking]

Hey, I like your poem! Cheers!

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Thanks.

[angeldrb]

Good job! Your poem inspired me to write an environmental poem. :)

[Shortpoet-GTD]

angeldrb, on 14 April 2012 - 12:06 AM, said:

Good job! Your poem inspired me to write an environmental poem. :)

Thanks!

[meowcow]

That was very well written and full of truth! Have you ever thought of putting it as an article on a blog? I'm sure that a lot of people would love to have that on their site, I know I would if I had one. How about guest writing for altenergyshift's blog? :)

[Shortpoet-GTD]

meowcow, on 16 April 2012 - 01:04 AM, said:

That was very well written and full of truth! Have you ever thought of putting it as an article on a blog? I'm sure that a lot of people would love to have that on their site, I know I would if I had one. How about guest writing for altenergyshift's blog? :)

Thanks!
Yes, I add posts to the green blog.
(I've tweeted the link too so more people can read the poem.)

[saver]

Lovely poem, I hope admin can edit in this version with all the apostrophes put in place :)


Rain 4/16/2009
We all pray for rain,
at least we say we do
but when it comes a torrent
we're not so quick to kneel.

When it comes hard and swift
we glance skyward and wonder,
did I demand too much?
Did I ask for too big a gift?
People say; be careful what you wish for
and now I know it's true and right
I asked for water, for my farm; for my fields
but not for this;
this flood of days; this flood of nights.

This is too heavy; this is too fast
will the levees hold, will the barriers last?
My crops will be flooded, lost for the season
There must be an answer
And I know the warming planet is the reason

The creek beds rise, the rivers swell
the massive thunderstorm is slow to move; it's been here for days.
This pouring rain, brings feet of water, not inches at a time
This can't continue, it's too much to bear
It must stop raining, it's already crossed the barrier's line.

My eyes can only stare and they're raining too
because the river is gaining, and there's nothing I can do.
We break our backs, filling bags with sand,
trying to help neighbors as fast as we can
But it's raining harder now,
and the bags are almost gone.

I don't think we can save the house
the rising waters creep
The attic's full of furniture
the rest is trashed; too wet to keep.

The stench is overwhelming, this river of smells
chemicals and oils; overflowing sewers
all the worst of mans inventions
We've done this to ourselves,
we've ruined our only earth
We never really asked ourselves
what's this planet worth?

It's moving up the lawn now, closer to the house
though it doesn't really matter much,
I'm defeated, tired and worn and I can't stop the rise
The house I built with my own two hands; the precious memories,



A wonderful life, living off the land.
The word I have in my head; despise.
We just had a flood a few weeks back,
and we're barely recovered
But that one was nothing
compared to this, an ankle deep dampness
We thought that was rough
but this time; enough!

I'm tired of the water, the sand and the mud
I'm sick of this water, I've had enough of this flood.
I want some place dry
I want some arid ground
I want some place safe
I want some place sound.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

saver, on 18 April 2012 - 03:55 AM, said:

Lovely poem, I hope admin can edit in this version with all the apostrophes put in place :)

It wasn't like that when I posted it. Maybe the newest upgrade to the site changed it. Anyway, thanks.

[kat74]

You hit the nail on the head. Very educational poem, people should take time to read it and if possible change their way of living.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Thank you.

[E3 wise]

From Jeff
   Very nice poem, I liked it a lot.  I just wish that there would be a long slow rain over Lake Meredith.  I looked at the totals again today after reading the post and was glad to see it has risen a little but it still scares me how low the level is.

  For those of you who aren’t familiar with the area around Amarillo Texas, Lake Meredith is the main water reservoir for 11 member cities (over ½ million people) in the Texas Panhandle and South Plains via a 358-mile aqueduct system.  The record high depth was 101 feet in 1973, the record low was 29 feet on April 9^th 2012, it’s at 31.57 feet today, so up a little.  The drought has been so severe that beginning in 2004, due to the increasing decline of Lake Meredith, the Authority began acquiring additional water rights in Gray, Hutchinson, Roberts, and Wheeler Counties to acquire one of the largest water rights areas in Texas.

Problem is that in a land that averages between 18 to 22 inches of rain a year, recharging the lake is a slow process because literally water is life in this arid and parched area of the Texas panhandle.
Nice posting
Jeff
‘

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Thanks so much.
I wrote that during one of the many floods we've seen in recent years, and watching people's lives and livelihoods
being washed downstream; inspired the poem.

I also wrote Heat-inspired by living in the panhandle through an unbearably hot summer.
http://www.altenergy...1862-heat-poem/

[E3 wise]

Read the Heat poem

Now that is the Texas I grew up in hot days over 100, winds and sand, ground looking like there had never been any water.

Sometimes I think about those days and wonder how anyone survived, yet we did.

Thanks for the poem

[saver]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 18 April 2012 - 04:06 AM, said:

It wasn't like that when I posted it. Maybe the newest upgrade to the site changed it. Anyway, thanks.

My experience with a programming sites over the years have made me wary of all apostrophes and I can assure you strongly it's not your fault!

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Thanks guys!