When the unwanted water arrived - Poem by: Andrew Benson GREENE (In memory of the flood victims of Sierra Leone)
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Photo credit: The Sun News.Environmental failure caused Sierra Leone flood disaster – Amnesty International— 17th August 2017 |
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Poem
They were deprived of life when the unwanted water arrived
And then, they were dispossessed of life and a chance to live,
When their slumber was less alert
When their slumber was less-prepared to confront
That extreme affront
Of the outpouring flood of rain.
A fatal flood that bulldozed its way
In the darkest hour of the night.
And before the coming of daylight
They were left to come face to face with the intemperate rage
Of nature’s heavy downpour, its damage never seen in our age.
They were our friends,
They were our families,
They were our neighbors,
They were our schoolmates,
They were our countrymen and women from Sierra Leone
Who were whisked away from the peak of ‘Regent’
Or its valley by the brutal arms of an urgent flood
The unwanted water that flowed with human blood.
They were pulled away from the beds of their ‘Sugar Loaf’ homes.
They were swept away with splash that lashed open the doors and windows
And snatched the innocent souls.
And whilst asleep, they were visited by the overflow of nature’s shrouded greed.
Pray that we never again flood,
Under the lion mountain of a rush of red bloody mud,
The midnight flood visit of an outburst of fear
That flooded Freetown and left our country in a flood of tears
The kind of flood which this country has never known,
Surreptitiously sweeping hundreds of lives into eternal sleep.
No early weather warnings detected
Or may have averted the death toll inflicted?
or no weather forecast to avert nature’s creepy trip.
The flood scraped off its hilly path where once stood homes
And destroyed the path so it can quickly roam,
Leaving a huge bald of red muddy soil
As a warning to all and a symbol of its havoc against those who once dwelled
Or lived through its destructive path.
It uprooted homes and scraped off trees, exposing the naked earth.
And they were left to come face to face with the intemperate rage
Of nature’s heavy downpour, its damage never seen in our age.
They were our friends,
They were our families,
They were our neighbors,
They were our schoolmates,
They were our countrymen and women from Sierra Leone
Links
https://weather.com/news/weather/video/sierra-leone-death-toll-soars-in-mudslide
Media Sources.
Sierra Leone mudslide: At least 600 still missing in Freetown - BBC News http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-40944540
Belief In: 'Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democratic rights and freedoms. In its very first session in 1946, before any human rights declarations or treaties had been adopted, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 59(I) stating "Freedom of information is a fundamental human right and ... the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated." Other Contributions, Quotes, Commendations and Awards: Aureal Writers Club Awards 1996 James B. Boskey Memorial Fresh Faces Awards, 2000 Goi Peace Foundation Essay Writing Awards 2000 Cable and Wireless Childnet awards 2003 Bremen Peace Commendation -Threshold Foundation Germany 2003 Beyond Borders Listen Up Awards 2003 Sauve Scholars Awards 2004 Global junior Challenge Awards 2007, In addition, Greene was on the shortlist for the 'digital Visions Fellows' at Stanford University California USA
They were deprived of life when the unwanted water arrived
And then, they were dispossessed of life and a chance to live,
When their slumber was less alert
When their slumber was less-prepared to confront
That extreme affront
Of the outpouring flood of rain.
A fatal flood that bulldozed its way
In the darkest hour of the night.
And before the coming of daylight
They were left to come face to face with the intemperate rage
Of nature’s heavy downpour, its damage never seen in our age.
They were our friends,
They were our families,
They were our neighbors,
They were our schoolmates,
They were our countrymen and women from Sierra Leone
Who were whisked away from the peak of ‘Regent’
Or its valley by the brutal arms of an urgent flood
The unwanted water that flowed with human blood.
They were pulled away from the beds of their ‘Sugar Loaf’ homes.
They were swept away with splash that lashed open the doors and windows
And snatched the innocent souls.
And whilst asleep, they were visited by the overflow of nature’s shrouded greed.
Pray that we never again flood,
Under the lion mountain of a rush of red bloody mud,
The midnight flood visit of an outburst of fear
That flooded Freetown and left our country in a flood of tears
The kind of flood which this country has never known,
Surreptitiously sweeping hundreds of lives into eternal sleep.
No early weather warnings detected
Or may have averted the death toll inflicted?
or no weather forecast to avert nature’s creepy trip.
The flood scraped off its hilly path where once stood homes
And destroyed the path so it can quickly roam,
Leaving a huge bald of red muddy soil
As a warning to all and a symbol of its havoc against those who once dwelled
Or lived through its destructive path.
It uprooted homes and scraped off trees, exposing the naked earth.
And they were left to come face to face with the intemperate rage
Of nature’s heavy downpour, its damage never seen in our age.
They were our friends,
They were our families,
They were our neighbors,
They were our schoolmates,
They were our countrymen and women from Sierra Leone
Links
https://weather.com/news/weather/video/sierra-leone-death-toll-soars-in-mudslide
Media Sources.
Sierra Leone mudslide: At least 600 still missing in Freetown - BBC News http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-40944540
Belief In: 'Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democratic rights and freedoms. In its very first session in 1946, before any human rights declarations or treaties had been adopted, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 59(I) stating "Freedom of information is a fundamental human right and ... the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated." Other Contributions, Quotes, Commendations and Awards: Aureal Writers Club Awards 1996 James B. Boskey Memorial Fresh Faces Awards, 2000 Goi Peace Foundation Essay Writing Awards 2000 Cable and Wireless Childnet awards 2003 Bremen Peace Commendation -Threshold Foundation Germany 2003 Beyond Borders Listen Up Awards 2003 Sauve Scholars Awards 2004 Global junior Challenge Awards 2007, In addition, Greene was on the shortlist for the 'digital Visions Fellows' at Stanford University California USA
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