The Flood of 'Seventeen

Copyright © 2017 by Clifford S Jones, Sr.

######

T'was the twenty-fourth, a little less or more, when a gale hit Quintana Roo,

Where it first hit land on the Yucatan, then the Gulf of Mexico.

By the next daybreak, the storm filled that lake, its tentacles all a-spiraling,

And when night had come it had reached CAT-ONE, the Storm of 'Seventeen.

T'was a warm Friday when the sky turned gray and the warnings started to sound.

But the many folk that were not awoke just decided to hang around.

And the Gulf was hot, boiling like a pot, and the storm continued to churn.

And many took heed and began to leave, but many refused to learn.

And the lessons came, it began to rain while folks bought water and beer.

They'd just laugh and scoff, didn't give it much thought that Hurricane Harvey drew near.

In the early AM was when the storm blew in and the high winds started to scream,

Hitting Corpus first like a lightning burst was the Storm of 'Seventeen.

The Gulf was tossed, a hundred-thirty-one knots and the sea-beast was quickly upgraded.

Now as a CAT-FOUR, at the coastline it tore, the surge Port Lavaca, invaded.

The rain would not end, and nor would the wind, big rigs were blown off the highways.

Houses crashed down with a thund'rous sound, and the flooding welled up to the flyways.

When the next dawn came it was met with more rain and we hoped that the worst was behind us.

But the roads became streams washing o'er our dreams 'til we wondered if no one would find us.

Emergency crews spread too thin were no use and the people were praying for rescue.

The sons of the state wouldn't leave them to fate and they rose up to do what they must do.

A cry and a shout, can you help a brother out, and the nation would come to attention.

By thousands they came, California to Maine; they were fearless, without apprehension.

Untethering their boats, whatever else that floats, their fleet launched in the stream.

With highways submerged, sons of Texas converged on the Flood of 'Seventeen.

Well, the Gov'ner called out the National Guard, but they found the rescue succeeding,

"We're not needed here, we'll move elsewhere," and they moved on where others were needing.

Then the water pushed families to their roofs, and the floods continued to stream.

And no one saw anything before like the Flood of 'Seventeen.

A man and his wife, having lived a long life had made a call on the cell

A team from the bayou were asking Where are you? We're looking but no one can tell.

And not too long after, found them up in the rafters, they'd tried to climb out of harm.

The life had now drained from their cold soaking frame still wrapped in each other's arms.

A mother, a babe, a man of great age, all carried through high raging waters.

A courageous crew, every man brave and true, come to rescue our sons and our daughters.

Now someday you'll hear that the end has drawn near, all is lost to the cruel and the mean.

But remember then the brave women and men and the Flood of 'Seventeen.

The flood took his toll, there were several or more that we lost to the ravenous creature.

But many more saved by some anonymous brave, whose names will never be featured.

Now someday you'll hear that the end has drawn near, all is lost to the cruel and the mean.

But remember then the brave women and men and the Flood of 'Seventeen.

######