Hurricane Dogs
Stranded in trees and on rooftops,
some, tethered still, to second-story balconies –
they silently observe the rescue boats go by,
listening to shouts,
looking for familiar faces,
their houses, now islands
surrounded by fetid floodwater
and I wonder why it is
that we grow numb
viewing the human tragedy
yet are moved to tears at the sight of these pets,
abandoned
helpless -
as we sit in dry comfort
thousands of miles distant,
watching.
Their silence speaks to us
about making sacrifices
in a time of hard choices -
about waiting patiently,
about staying ever hopeful.
Hearts, Dreams and Hope (a sestina)
The immigrants came with expectant hearts,
trepidation and watercolor dreams;
they yearned to transform hopelessness to hope
in this land, this golden, shining country
that didn’t judge their former lives,
and offered ending and beginning entwined.
They crowded at ships’ railings with arms entwined,
breathed fresh air, a balm for broken hearts,
gulped eagerly at freedom, a chance for better lives,
an opportunity to pursue their dreams
in a place where no king, no country
lords or aristocrats existed to levy taxes on hope.
From steerage to squalor, they maintained hope
in sweatshops, tenements, and entwined
customs and language from their home country
with ours, as their hearts
beat strong in the rhythm of realized dreams,
and they dared to speak of futures for their children’s lives.
From crowded cities to open prairies, their new lives
beamed as bright beacons of hope
for others to follow, others whose dreams
were filled with nights once again entwined
with lovers and passionate hearts
of those who had journeyed to this far-away country.
Immigrants, refugees, colonists made this country
stronger, embraced it as their own, gave up their lives
to keep it safe, pledged with hands over their hearts
as citizens with the courage to hope
for acceptance, for the chance to be entwined
in America’s fabric and its dreams.
From Plymouth, from Syria, they all came with dreams
of deliverance in a country
where generations will become entwined,
where diversity enriches our daily lives,
where we dare to maintain universal hope
that strangers everywhere will find welcome hearts.
We are all immigrants with dreams that shape our lives
as we enrich this country, share our visions of hope,
stand together with hands entwined, celebrate with grateful hearts.
An educator for over 30 years, Nancy Haskett retired in 2011 and is a member of the Ina Coolbrith Circle, MoSt (Modesto Stanislaus Poetry Center), as well as a local writing group. Nancy has presented her poetry at the Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, CA; the Barkin’ Dog Second Tuesday Readings; the Modesto City Council chambers, and other places; her work has appeared in more than 40 publications. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. She and her husband Mark live in Modesto, California. She has recently published a poetry collection, Shadows and Reflections, available on Amazon.
Stranded in trees and on rooftops,
some, tethered still, to second-story balconies –
they silently observe the rescue boats go by,
listening to shouts,
looking for familiar faces,
their houses, now islands
surrounded by fetid floodwater
and I wonder why it is
that we grow numb
viewing the human tragedy
yet are moved to tears at the sight of these pets,
abandoned
helpless -
as we sit in dry comfort
thousands of miles distant,
watching.
Their silence speaks to us
about making sacrifices
in a time of hard choices -
about waiting patiently,
about staying ever hopeful.
Hearts, Dreams and Hope (a sestina)
The immigrants came with expectant hearts,
trepidation and watercolor dreams;
they yearned to transform hopelessness to hope
in this land, this golden, shining country
that didn’t judge their former lives,
and offered ending and beginning entwined.
They crowded at ships’ railings with arms entwined,
breathed fresh air, a balm for broken hearts,
gulped eagerly at freedom, a chance for better lives,
an opportunity to pursue their dreams
in a place where no king, no country
lords or aristocrats existed to levy taxes on hope.
From steerage to squalor, they maintained hope
in sweatshops, tenements, and entwined
customs and language from their home country
with ours, as their hearts
beat strong in the rhythm of realized dreams,
and they dared to speak of futures for their children’s lives.
From crowded cities to open prairies, their new lives
beamed as bright beacons of hope
for others to follow, others whose dreams
were filled with nights once again entwined
with lovers and passionate hearts
of those who had journeyed to this far-away country.
Immigrants, refugees, colonists made this country
stronger, embraced it as their own, gave up their lives
to keep it safe, pledged with hands over their hearts
as citizens with the courage to hope
for acceptance, for the chance to be entwined
in America’s fabric and its dreams.
From Plymouth, from Syria, they all came with dreams
of deliverance in a country
where generations will become entwined,
where diversity enriches our daily lives,
where we dare to maintain universal hope
that strangers everywhere will find welcome hearts.
We are all immigrants with dreams that shape our lives
as we enrich this country, share our visions of hope,
stand together with hands entwined, celebrate with grateful hearts.
An educator for over 30 years, Nancy Haskett retired in 2011 and is a member of the Ina Coolbrith Circle, MoSt (Modesto Stanislaus Poetry Center), as well as a local writing group. Nancy has presented her poetry at the Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, CA; the Barkin’ Dog Second Tuesday Readings; the Modesto City Council chambers, and other places; her work has appeared in more than 40 publications. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. She and her husband Mark live in Modesto, California. She has recently published a poetry collection, Shadows and Reflections, available on Amazon.