Tomorrow, (Sat 10) is our Publisher, Joan’s birthday. It would seem the only bright star shining around this date as it almost coincides with Hurricane Ivan Sep 11 2004, 9/11 US Attacks in USA Sep 11 2004 , and the death of our Queen Elizabeth II yesterday (8).

Jo’s Poem on Hurricane Ivan as it mentions her birthday.

IVAN” – THE TERRIBLE

By Joan (Watler) Wilson

“What?! You going to celebrate your 70^th birthday,

But you never heard hurricane coming our way?”

“You joking, we never had a hurricane for years, I know

The last big one I believe was about 60 years ago.”

*

“Well, I can tell you we’ve booked a place to celebrate

And if Ivan is coming he better not be late

With plenty friends and good food, we’ll sit and dine

Something we haven’t done for a long, long time.”

*

Well, celebration is over and we all departed

Winds are blowing hard the hurricane has started.

Getting through the night was very nervous indeed

Ivan was approaching with his gear in high speed.

*

We couldn’t do much to stop Him, we could only batten down,

Plywood and shutter from shops all around

Talk about chaos with queues of people scared

Hardware, and supermarkets, gas stations everywhere.

*

Winds picking up and bits flying overhead

“167 miles per hour,” the weatherman said,

“With heavy gusts of 200 miles per hour and more.”

Ivan was a category 5 hurricane not 4!

*

You think Andrew and Gilbert were bad when they came

Ha! Ivan put both of those hurricanes to shame!

With 5 to 10 foot of water rising downstairs

We could do nothing but say our prayers.

*

Appliances gone, and our gas and water mains cut

Vehicles flooded and completely full of dirt,

Winds still howling and our roof shaking

Still we sat very calm and kept on praying.

*

For almost 24 hours Ivan fury kept pounding us

Spitting out caskets and turning metal to rust,

Big boats anchored and thought securely tied

Wrenched free and hurtled away for almost a mile.

*

Imagine, 95% of homes were damaged

And almost half our cars destroyed,

We looked like a country that had suffered many wars.

Trees down, homes down and everywhere scarred.

*

But still we are grateful to God for sparing us

Putting our faith in him and in him always trust

For he is the maker of the universe he built in 7 days

So we’ll give him all the glory and trust him always.

*

Six weeks later the trees are all budding green

Ivan was an experience for most of us not seen

So pick up the pieces and live your life again

An experience like Ivan we’re unlikely to see again.

END

And Eddie Staine on July 9th, 2019, added this as a “Comment” to Jo’s poem

The storm had no warning
The fury it brings
At 165 it destroyed many things
But we did survive

We could dance we could sing
Cause we thank the Lord for his blessings
Give thanks for his blessings
Give thanks for his blessings

Ivan blew from the North South
East and West
Prove seh him bad
Not a minute him rest

Marina’ Cove tek ova spotts straight
Ivan boxed down
Missa Chrighton’s gate

Many roof disappeared
Like flying saucer
But wait…..Ivan intended to linger

Govna car got dent
Garage door fell down
Yo haff to line up for gas
All around dis town

Who woulda think
In only one day….
Ivan tek so much
But feel no way

Maaan mi vek cause Ivan blow weh my shack
Flipped di roof affa Gasper house top
Wid outta wink

The raging winds turn back
Swung two left hooks
At Missa Arthur’s shop

But wait…

Mi build here long time
Yo could blow all you want
But dis spot is mine!!!

END