On August 18, 1983, Hurricane Alicia hit the Texas coast. It killed 22 people and caused a billion dollars in damage.
Many children have lived through natural disasters and witnessed difficult things. Creating a safe space for them to talk and write about their experiences is a form of healing.
Today, as we remember the destruction caused by Hurricane Alicia and other hurricanes, here is a poem by a high school student about what it feels like to live through one. Her first-hand testimony captures the intensity of the storm, her fear, and her new-found understanding that home is not always safe.
We shouldn’t have stayed
Slashing winds, my parents arguing, and the electricity cut off
No way to take a bath to calm down because of this storm
My mom says I could get shocked
My dad says quit complaining
We shouldn’t have stayed
The rain looks like a wall of water
The winds are howling like monsters of my childhood
And I feel scared because I might be blown away
We shouldn’t have stayed
It’s black and dark and LOUD outside
I can’t sleep because I’m worried about the pets
that people might have left outside
I want to go home but I am home
We shouldn’t have stayed
by Lauren, 11th grade