New wordle words from Brenda at The Sunday Whirl:
wrath, tumultuous, scramble, flees,
shore, key, swelling, upbeat,
depths, enable,
rotten, charm
Wrath of A Superstorm
New York.
The Big Apple, the Melting Pot,
Gotham City, the Empire City,
the city that never sleeps:
The Big Apple, the Melting Pot,
Gotham City, the Empire City,
the city that never sleeps:
crashed to a screeching halt,
faltered, and then, horrifyingly,
shut down completely.
Seething mud-colored water
swelled against her shores,
overflowed her streets,
drowned her subways.
drowned her subways.
The lights went out;
no power, no lattes, no people.
Times Square, crossroads
of the world, empty.
Broadway shows canceled,
Wall Street deserted.
Times Square, crossroads
of the world, empty.
Broadway shows canceled,
Wall Street deserted.
Once proud beauty, she was
felled by a wild, brazen harlot
who blew in from the tropics.
A way of life left behind
in the desperate scramble to flee.
All gone now, homes
and dreams destroyed.
To Staten Island and the Bronx,
in the desperate scramble to flee.
All gone now, homes
and dreams destroyed.
To Staten Island and the Bronx,
to Brooklyn, Manhattan,
Queens and the Jersey shore:
in the depths of your despair, take heart!
You may be down but you're not out;
you were born of proud people
and you will be back,
stronger and better than ever.
You are Americans and
Americans don't give up or give in,
not now, not ever!
Note: I have been completely focused on Hurricane Sandy and the city of New York this week. My son and his wife live in Manhattan, in the Inwood neighborhood. Fortunately, their apartment was built on one of the highest elevations in the city. They were able to return to work on Thursday. He works at Channel 13 (PBS) and she works at The American Museum of Natural History. Many other New Yorkers were not so fortunate.
12 comments:
Indeed New York has had to endure so much. 9 / 11 and now Hurricane Sandy. Somehow though New Yorkers always bounce back. They have a resilient spirit I admire..... Glad your son is doing okay.
Marianne, this reads beautifully. You speak with elegance about a tragedy, and end on a note of hope and encouragement. I love image of wind as "a wild, brazen harlot..." This is full of rich images. I enjoyed the read; it has a classic feel to it.
Powerful Marianne. Being a news buff myself, I had followed Sandy's devastating progress as soon as they knew she was going to hit the Caribbean and then make her way to the US from there. I know that like so many, we were expecting (or hoping) that Sandy wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as each station was forecasting but sadly,they didn't exaggerate it at all.
Great wordle about such a sad event.
Glad your son and his wife were relatively unscathed, although, events like these affect us all ultimately in so many ways.
That harlot wind certainly grabbed my attention, as I'm sure it did the attention of all who stood in her path!
Such lyrical language, beautifully written... although the subject is devastating. So glad your loved ones are okay.
Wonderful write Marianne. Brazen harlot is certainly a bit of brilliance. Fine writing about a devastating occurence, and so glad you found hope at the end. Also glad your loved ones are okay,
Elizabeth
http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/what-would-the-neighbors-think/
Marianne, the harlot wind certainly caught my attention in this very powerful write. Yes, Americans are proud and strong folks and it is one reason I am proud to be from there. I am so glad your family is ok, I have family on Long Island and they were spared a lot in the wake of this storm as well. One niece had some flooding in her home, but she is doing well. I fear for another storm to head that way. It is frightening.
Pamela
Sandy was quite scary ... the wrath of Nature, as they say !!!
Thought provoking piece...
well-written re-telling of Sandy's powerful negative impact on so many, espec. those in one of our largest and most important cities- grinding to a halt for days...
I am glad your family is safe. The storm by passed Up State NY - where I have some family. Other family in South Jersey were a bit inland and are also safe.
You are right - now is the time to rebuild. And it will be better than before.
Beautifully penned tribute to NYC Marianne - probably my favourite city in the world - I have been feeling heartsick about her all week without knowing where to put my grief (after all, she's not mine)but you've done her proud and you're right, she will rise again. A truly wonderful poem.
http://thepoet-tree-house.blogspot.ca/2012/11/fear.html#comment-form
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