The Flood

It was springtime in the foothills, the air was fresh and clean

The snow pack in the mountains was the most there’d ever been

It was summer in the valleys but above was freezing cold

With every day some inches being added to the snow

A pretty town is nestled in the pretty valley pass

A pretty creek runs through the town through parks of pretty grass

Houses nestled near the creek side to watch the water drain

From the blocks of subdivisions built there on the flood plain

The early summer heat was building up relentlessly

The higher snow was melting off the mountains and the trees

The mountains trapped huge rainclouds, dropped their payloads on the snow

In the hot sun all the water had just one place to go

It was running off the mountains heading for the town

But no one there suspected they were about to drown

They’d build small dykes and thought that they had naught to fear

City engineers had said “It’s safe to build down here”

They went about their business while the water built up steam

Rain still coming down it hit the town along that tiny stream

It was now a mighty river, broke its banks to flood the town

Flooded houses, stores and highways as the deluge tumbled down

They could here the roar and feel it in the middle of the night

Rocks and logs and tons of dirt washed down on everything in sight

Some did not escape for they were trapped there in there bed

There were many hurt and there were others that were dead

It was impossible to imagine such a deadly tragedy

But when you mess with nature you will always lose, you see

For nature is not personal it does what it must do

And when you try to change it its old habits will come through

The houses are in ruins, all possessions were destroyed

Nothing left for them of all their things they had enjoyed

Everything was covered up with grime and filthy mud

From sewer lagoons and septic fields ripped up by the flood

The town was devastated people lost all that they had

The people were upset, they were frightened, they were mad

They moved some out to trailers where they still live today

And now the only issue is who is going to pay?

The insurance companies claim that it was an act of god

That they are not responsible, not prepared to give the nod

The people say the City Hall permitted them to build

It’s their responsibility so they should pay the bill

They were given many promises by governments large and small

Who knew very well that they could not fulfill them all

The people waited for assistance, lived with relatives and friends

Waiting for the time that they could move back home again

The government paid them pennies and that was all they got

Their houses now have just been left to sit right there and rot

Their properties now are worthless for who’ll buy them again

We all have learned the lesson, not to buy on a flood plain

Yes, some buildings were rebuilt because they were high profile

The press had found it handy to make some people smile

But the average guy with just a house will have to stand in line

To get a tiny handout, he’ll have to bide his time

The bureaucrats and officials only seem to pace the floor

The engineers say “Let’s not let them build there anymore”

But the damage has been done and many lives now are in ruin

And no help will be coming for them anytime soon

The valleys and the canyons were all carved out this way

Nothing’s changes if we decide to build a town there today

Nature rolls along like nothing’s changed along its normal route

We must move back for nature is the one that has the clout