The Flood

The Flood
It was springtime in the foothills, the air was fresh and clean
The snow pack in the mountains was the most there’d ever been
It was summer in the valleys but above was freezing cold
With every day some inches being added to the snow

A pretty town is nestled in the pretty valley pass
A pretty creek runs through the town through parks of pretty grass
Houses nestled near the creek side to watch the water drain
From the blocks of subdivisions built there on the flood plain

The early summer heat was building up relentlessly
The higher snow was melting off the mountains and the trees
The mountains trapped huge rainclouds, dropped their payloads on the snow
In the hot sun all the water had just one place to go

It was running off the mountains heading for the town
But no one there suspected they were about to drown
They’d build small dykes and thought that they had naught to fear
City engineers had said “It’s safe to build down here”

They went about their business while the water built up steam
Rain still coming down it hit the town along that tiny stream
It was now a mighty river, broke its banks to flood the town
Flooded houses, stores and highways as the deluge tumbled down

They could here the roar and feel it in the middle of the night
Rocks and logs and tons of dirt washed down on everything in sight
Some did not escape for they were trapped there in there bed
There were many hurt and there were others that were dead

It was impossible to imagine such a deadly tragedy
But when you mess with nature you will always lose, you see
For nature is not personal it does what it must do
And when you try to change it its old habits will come through

The houses are in ruins, all possessions were destroyed
Nothing left for them of all their things they had enjoyed
Everything was covered up with grime and filthy mud
From sewer lagoons and septic fields ripped up by the flood

The town was devastated people lost all that they had
The people were upset, they were frightened, they were mad
They moved some out to trailers where they still live today
And now the only issue is who is going to pay?

The insurance companies claim that it was an act of god
That they are not responsible, not prepared to give the nod
The people say the City Hall permitted them to build
It’s their responsibility so they should pay the bill

They were given many promises by governments large and small
Who knew very well that they could not fulfill them all
The people waited for assistance, lived with relatives and friends
Waiting for the time that they could move back home again

The government paid them pennies and that was all they got
Their houses now have just been left to sit right there and rot
Their properties now are worthless for who’ll buy them again
We all have learned the lesson, not to buy on a flood plain

Yes, some buildings were rebuilt because they were high profile 
The press had found it handy to make some people smile
But the average guy with just a house will have to stand in line
To get a tiny handout, he’ll have to bide his time

The bureaucrats and officials only seem to pace the floor
The engineers say “Let’s not let them build there anymore”
But the damage has been done and many lives now are in ruin
And no help will be coming for them anytime soon 

The valleys and the canyons were all carved out this way
Nothing’s changes if we decide to build a town there today
Nature rolls along like nothing’s changed along its normal route
We must move back for nature is the one that has the clout

naturewaterrhyme

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