'Twas the Night Before Katrina

'Twas the night before Katrina, when all thru the state
Not a gas pump was pumpin', not a store open late
All the plywood was hung, on the windows with care,
Knowing that a hurricane, soon would be there.

The children were ready, with their flashlight in hand
While rain bands from the hurricane, covered over our land
And mom with her Mag-lite, and me with my cap
Has just filled the bathtub, for flushing our crap.

When out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter
I sprang from the closet, to see what was the matter
The trees on the terrace, and the neighbor's roof torn
We feared we'd be dyin', in this terrible storm.

With a little wind gus, so lively and quick
I remembered quite clearly, our walls were not brick
More rapid than eagles, her courses they changed
And she whistled and wafted, and surged all the same.

Off shingles! Off sidings! Off rooftops! Off power!
Down trees! Down fences! Down trailers! Down towers!
On the street of New Orleans, she continued to maul
Screaming Blow away! Blow away! Blow away all!

As the wind ripped and tossed, the debris thru the sky,
I peeked out the shutters, at the cars floatin' by
So go to the attic, my family did do
With a portable radio, and some batteries too.

And the in a twinkling, I heard on the set
The end was not coming, for a few hours yet
As I calmed down the kids, and was turning around
Thru the window it came, with a huge crashing sound

A tree branch it was, all covered in soot
The wind blew it smack-dab, on top of my foot
A bundle of twigs, now lay in a stack
And my living room looked like, it was under attack.

The wind how it howled, the storm very scary
Myself and my family, were all too unwary
The dangers of hurricanes, are serious ya know
They're taken for granted, as Betsy did show.

With the winds dying down, and the danger beneath
I noticed my tool shed, was missing its sheath
So I grabbed my last tarp, and nailed it on down
Then got in my car, and drove into town.

The traffic was awful, and stores had no ice
My 5-gallon cooler, would have to suffice
Generators was scarce, not one left in town
There were trees on the roads, and power lines down.

FEMA was ready, with people to work
Electrical companies, came in from New York
I sprang to the car, gave my family a whistle
Then away we all went, like a Tomahawk missile.

You could hear us exclaim, as we drove out of sight
"To heck with this place, Texas seems just right!"

(Author unknown)