Poetry: Rain Forest

An ever-present dampness surrounds this world
where fungal growth drapes like lacey accoutrements
caressing coniferous bark below
all is green
...and wet

A mossy carpet like squishy foam
adorns the ground below
a world of three-dimensional green
fed by continuous rain

The Eloquence of Speech

The eloquence of vocal delivery matches the absurdity of the words that emitted. Words describing Hurricane Katrina as cruel and vicious caused echoes of other words to reverberate through my mind, twas a dark and stormy night. In order for something to be cruel, vicious, or both at the same time, that “something” must be capable of thought. It is a conscious decision to be cruel and vicious. Storms, Mr. President, simply ARE. And, yes, Mr. President, please spend the tax payers money wisely to find out what the problem was. Let me give you a hint, it has to do with your placing unqualified people into positions they know nothing about. Lawyers in charge of FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security is like having a construction worker perform delicate brain surgery. For the first time in your life, someone isn’t bailing you out. Welcome to the world of your constituents where actions are met with consequences.

Instead of cutting budgets for Medicare and education, why don’t we bring our soldiers home from a war they never should’ve been sent to in the first place. Unlike many sheep in this country, I remember why you originally sent us to Iraq – in search of weapons of mass destruction. They’re not there; you’ve made a mess of worldly relations; started a civil war in Iraq, drained our financial resources; and reacted slower than a slug that’s been nailed in place to a national disaster in your own country. Bravo! You WILL be remembered – goal achieved! Imagine all the money that could be used to rebuild the Gulf instead of being shelled out to a foreign country. May I also suggest, Mr. President, that you and all the other members on Capital Hill take a pay cut. Just imagine, our kids could still get the quasi-education we supply them with AND Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama could be rebuilt.

It is time that We the People stand up and inform our Employees to do their job and act like leaders instead of self-serving brats. It is an honor to lead and represent one’s people; it is not a tool to bolster one’s own power and authority. It should never have evolved into a position that only the rich can afford to seek. True leaders place the needs of their constituents before their own. Real leaders lead from the front, not from behind their desks or vacation homes.

What Leadership?

I listen to NPR as I drive to work this morning. The governor of Louisiana has now given the National Guard the order to shoot to kill looters. I also learn that communications are down; rescue workers are unable to communicate. Then I remind myself that yes, today is Friday; four days after Katrina struck Louisiana and Mississippi. Four days. Four days?!

Unlike our national governing officials, I had access to a TV and weather forecasts days prior to Katrina's strike. Unlike these so-called leaders, I could see that this storm was unlike any this country had ever seen as she grew to a monstrous Category 5 with winds of 175 mph. Common citizens with access to TV's were told that Katrina could strike as a Category 5 and that there was a possibility that she could strengthen further. Unlike our governing officials, if this storm had swung my way - I reside in one of the earlier projected paths - I would have evacuated; I have the means. Unlike this country's leadership, I, a mere common citizen could see that this storm was an impending catastrophe. I ask myself, often, where was our leadership? Why didn't our governing officials have every emergency resource ready to move before Katrina actually hit? Perhaps our leadership couldn't be bothered. They were on vacation. I've always been told that leaders lead their people from the front, by example, and sacrifice their personal comfort so that their people are cared for first. I have yet to see leadership in Washington DC without A/C, food, water, no shoes, and only the clothes on their backs.

It has never been a secret, despite what our mentally clogged President may say, that New Orleans was a disaster waiting to happen. Unlike our ignorant leader who obviously doesn't read or listen to anything intelligent, I've seen and read many things about what a Category 3 hurricane could do to New Orleans - let alone anything higher. No, Mr. President, you along with the other selfish leaders in this country have chosen to ignore this issue and are now trying desperately to save face. You could have made a valiant start if you had cut your vacation short prior to Katrina's strike and had every emergency resource ready and waiting to deploy. Mr. President, I ask you, why are there no communications available for rescue efforts on this day, Friday, September 2, 2005 - FOUR DAYS after Katrina's landfall? I know the military have wireless communication networks that would have worked well if they had been employed. If you had actually cared about your constituents. If you had any grain of foresight in your being.

This country's other idiotic leadership in Washington DC also decided to cut their vacations short by two days - days following the aftermath - not prior to. They are just as at fault.

Mr. President, I am angry. I am very angry. The devastation in our nation's gulf is atrocious and your lack of foresight has cost hundreds their lives. Is it because their lives aren't worth as much as the oil fields beneath the sands of Iraq?