Hustle, bustle, movement, people
All the signs and sounds of life
In a moment, horror, sorrow
All that speaks of death and strife
Houses, buildings, churches crumble
Mass destruction, Massive loss
In one instance families shattered
In an instance lives are lost
So many lives swept up in rubble
Nothing but confusion is left to claim
These were living, breathing persons
And now we don't even know their name
Children left without father or mother
Sister or brother, no family at all
Their screams echo through the air around them
With no one near to hear their call
No food, no water, no care to heal them
Streets flow; it seems, with blood and tears
Reporters with their cameras tell us
It was the first quake that big in 200 years
But to the suffering people striving to live
Those facts mean nothing, they are empty and bare
All they want is their families, decent shelter
Food, water, and medical care
Hands are raised up to Heaven
Hearts and prayers turn there too
"God help us." They cry out
It is all they can do
Days pass by, the devastation is clear
Thousands upon thousands, simply gone
The few survivors start new lives in tents
Here they stay from dusk to dawn
Parents fall on their knees in pain
They find their baby, they've searched for days
But it is too late to save their infant
Her life was lost without a trace
The dust settles slowly, small fires remain
People cling to each other with all that they have
It puts into perspective everything at once
The small trifles we deal with aren't really that bad
Let us cling to our loved ones, don't take them for granted
God gave us time to savor, not to waste
Your whole world can be lost in a minute
Everything you ever knew swept away in haste
Don't think it can't happen to you, it happened to them:
The thousands of Haitians in need today
So while we are able, let's do all we can
To help those who are hurting somehow, someway…
©Allix Brunson 1/28/10
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/photo/2010-haiti/index.html (I based parts of this poem on these pictures. Viewer discretion is advised.)
http://ibgracia.org/haitifunddonate.php (this is a great place to donate money...fast, easy and very helpful!)