A Hurricane Katrina Poetic Commemorative

by Chitiga, Miriam

• ISBN13: 9780761857358
• ISBN10: 0761857354
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-12-23
• Publisher: UPA

Summary

The anthology shares the poetic voices of many who were touched by the suffering experienced by the people of the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. The poetry represents a multitude of emotions and reactions, not unlike those evoked by the tragedy, such as anger, disillusionment, empathy, increased enthusiasm for philanthropy, volunteerism, and civic engagement. The poems fall under five sections: 'Devastation,' 'Tragedy,' 'Social Distress,' 'Accountability,' and 'Reconstruction, Resolution, and Relief'. While the tragic events provided the impetus for this poetry, the mission of the Performing Arts for Effective Civic Education (PAECE), a civic engagement program, provided the guiding light for the creative project to take shape. This anthology is the first in a Hurricane Katrina Commemoration series, through which writers creatively express themselves and make lasting artistic contributions to the commemoration of the lives and experiences of both survivors and victims of the catastrophe.

Author Biography

Miriam Chitiga is an interdisciplinary global researcher and scholar whose work is centered on investigating issues relating to social justice and empowerment through innovative education. Her international and interdisciplinary work in civic engagement, leadership, and empowerment encompasses a variety of her most treasured activities and has earned her highly competitive institutional grants and prestigious fellowships, some of which have influenced this project. She is a full-time associate professor who has taught a variety of courses in educational leadership, diversity, applied linguistics, and gender studies.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Introduction	p. xiii
Devastation	p. 1
Katrina	p. 3
So Many Words	p. 5
Devastating Katrina	p. 6
Swept Away	p. 7
Falling	p. 8
Underwater Breathing	p. 9
LowerNinth Ward	p. 10
The Saga of Hurricane Katrina: August 25, 2005	p. 11
It's Chaos in a City Thrown at God's Mercy	p. 12
Katrina. Why?	p. 13
Why?	p. 14
What Troubles the Water	p. 15
Gone With the Wind	p. 16
I'm Lost	p. 17
Do You Care?	p. 18
Tribute to Katrina (Katrina's Honor)	p. 19
Drowning	p. 20
Katrina Consoled	p. 21
The Tragedy	p. 23
Hurricane Katrina: Life	p. 25
Why Katrina?	p. 26
Cry for New Orleans	p. 27
They Said	p. 28
Hurricane "Badwoman" Katrina	p. 29
Refugees?	p. 30
Life after the Storm	p. 31
Hurricane Katrina: Where was the Love?	p. 32
Blue City Blues	p. 33
Dead Broke	p. 34
Katrina	p. 36
What if it was You?	p. 37
Be Prepared (Katrina is Coming)	p. 38
For God's Sake Where was FEMA?	p. 39
Resilience	p. 40
S.O.S.	p. 41
Lament for Crescent City	p. 42
Do We Really Know?	p. 43
Social Distress	p. 45
My House	p. 47
My Children are Hungry	p. 48
Through the Eyes of a Child	p. 49
After Katrina	p. 50
Are Your Eyes Open?	p. 52
Ms Lilly with the All-purpose Pot	p. 53
Dear Katrina	p. 54
Lives Have Changed Now	p. 55
The Wrath of Katrina	p. 56
As	p. 57
Water up to My Neck (Poverty)	p. 58
Forgotten	p. 59
A Date with Disaster	p. 60
The Reality	p. 61
let the revolution begin September 10, 2005	p. 62
Katrina's Sadness	p. 69
No One Knew	p. 70
Lost	p. 71
Poverty	p. 72
The Hurricane	p. 73
What Would You Do?	p. 74
Accountability	p. 77
All Men are Created Equal?	p. 79
Does Anyone Care?	p. 80
Where Were You When We Needed You?	p. 81
0 Government! Where art Thou?	p. 82
Blinded Freedom	p. 83
Why oh Why?	p. 85
Can Anyone Hear Me?	p. 86
Delayed Reaction	p. 87
Who's to Blame?	p. 88
Hear My Voice	p. 89
Tears	p. 90
City under Siege	p. 91
Reconstruction Resolution Relief	p. 93
Wetness	p. 95
The Storm is Over	p. 96
Three Months Later	p. 97
Better Times Will Come	p. 98
Call to Action	p. 99
A Direct Quote (From George W. Bush)	p. 100
Evaporated Tear Drops: W. gonna rebuild it white September 3, 2005	p. 101
Rise Again	p. 106
America's Thoughts	p. 107
Lessons from Chaos	p. 108
Katrina can't be changed	p. 109
Is it Over?	p. 110
Katrina, Why'd You Leave So Much Poverty?	p. 111
Hope (A PLACE called HOME)	p. 112
Katrina Restricted	p. 113
Three Months after the Storm	p. 114
After the Destruction	p. 115
Stand up Again	p. 116
Let's Stand Together	p. 117
We Shall Overcome	p. 118
Cruel Mother Nature	p. 119
Who Done It?	p. 120
Acrostic Poem	p. 121
Katrina, Years Later	p. 122
Life after Katrina	p. 123
Prevent another Tragedy	p. 124
Is There Someone To Uplift Me?	p. 125
A Song for N'Awlins	p. 129
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