I can't breathe today. My mind is focused on that red swirl, right now mindlessly, purposelessly tearing up what I love. Most of my family lives in its path. I haven't heard from most of them. My last contact was with my mom, in a voicemail she left me yesterday morning at dawn, telling me she was evacuating. It ended, her voice breaking in tears, "Pray for us, brother."
The eastern edge of the eye is the area you don't want to be in. It's the area that is right now over the home I bought for my mom this year. Is she safe? My little brother? Is the roof of her home, which she called Eden, now upturned in some swollen black swamp? Are my childhood photos driven by the blasting winds like nails into a pine tree nearby?
My family, mom, my little brother. They have so little, is even that now all gone?
Are they safe?
4 comments:
God WILL continue to watch over you and your loved ones... have faith, share love, breed compassion.
posted by: amazing_dragonfly on 8/31/2005 11:56:36 AM
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My thoughts and prayers are with you...
posted by: royevan on 8/31/2005 10:20:21 AM
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hy do you make me cry?
This is not the first time either.
I know how you feel. My mom is vulnerable too. Different kind of vulnerable from yours. I want to do is help and protect her, but I can't and it crushes me.
posted by: gumdropmolly on 8/31/2005 12:20:37 AM
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best to you and yours, clayton. we're all hoping, reaching, calling out into the silence, waiting for a response...
posted by: miscdebris on 8/30/2005 11:45:20 PM
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I grew up in New Orleans, well, more specifically on the west bank in Gretna. Now i'm living in Pensacola, FL (made famous from Ivan last year.) I'm with you. I haven't been able to get in touch with any of my friends who still reside in Nawlins. I work for a telco here, and all of most our systems in N.O. are under water. The entire time I was growing up everyone knew the levees would one day work against us. I hope you find everyone and they are safe...
posted by: oh_theshocker on 8/30/2005 7:21:58 PM
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Thoughts and hopes with you and yours...
posted by: kopaylopa on 8/30/2005 3:30:08 AM
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So far so good but my thoughts will remain with them.....
posted by: rezchx on 8/29/2005 12:29:02 PM
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deep breathing and listen to your heart. with the connection you have with them. you will know.
meantime, my heart is weeping yet again for the south-
-pensacola native
posted by: bookgirl82 on 8/29/2005 12:09:25 PM
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Best wishes from all of us.
posted by: shortyellowskirt on 8/29/2005 11:59:58 AM
I have just finished reading/looking/living your pages. The amazing sense of family and who you are and where you came from and what you have to/had to do shines through. Your mom...wow, your mom.
I cry for you and your place.
Love and best best wishes
your photos
made me cry
real tears
not the "I'm feeling
sorry for
myself" kind
the kind that
start a fire
behind your eyes
built from
the dried
leaves of
sadness
http://poetsagainstthewar.org/displaypoem.asp?AuthorID=7345#453081953
(paste this URL in the address bar of your web browser to read all 76 of my poems posted online)
Clayton:
I know and love your mom and your little brother. I am still in the deep south living in the hell. I hate to say, I hope your mom and little brother comes home soon to stay. I miss them so.
You are such a good and loving son.
I know your mother loves you very much and is very proud of you.
She has worked so hard to get everything she had and to raise you boys up right.
She is the most positive and God loving soul that I know. I know there are times that I would not have made it without her to lean on and letting her lean on me.
She misses you greatly when you are not around and loves to see and hear from you. I have heard many great things about you and your girlfriend. She loves you both beyond distraction.
I saw you mom and brother for the first time since they left after the hurricane. We hugged for what seemed like hours but was only for a few minutes. She looked just like always happy and content with her life and her Lord.
I was so glad she and your brother could leave the devestation behind, even though it hurt her to leave (and me to let them leave). She may not be blood but she is still my sister.
Thank you so much for taking care of her and Dalton.
I look forward to meeting you and your girlfriend one day and get ready because you will get a really big hug for all you have done.
As I said I am still here and working in the devestation with all of the people. One day we will be back to normal. But it doesn't look like it will be any time soon.
Again, thank you for taking care of them, I have been very worried not knowing where they were and what was happening with them.
Cheryl
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