Gabe's Story Poem

I've chosen the song 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald', a true story turned into a classic ballad by Gordon Lightfoot. Click here for lyrics, a short history of the song, and even a brief audio clip. And now for my own poem...

The Big Thompson Flood.
- Gabe Thexton

On a clear summer day at the end of July,
Near Estes that town in the Rockies so high,
Folks had their fun and were headed for home,
They poured into Big Thompson Canyon,
A road that wound down through the valley to town,
Near the river with homes right beside it.

Clouds soon would gather a light rain would fall,
Most there would say they weren't worried at all,
Thunderheads rolled in about half past seven,
The weather service issued a warning,
The Olympics were on and many were home,
These folks that lived in the valley.

Around nine-o-clock came a warning more stern,
They said that the floods were a coming,
Four hours had passed nigh twelve inches fell,
The water out-bounded the river,
It tore through the canyon a twenty foot wall,
The Big Thompson had had it's disaster.

When up the sun came on the very next day,
Almost nothing was left in the canyon,
One hundred and forty four perished that day,
In the flood in the Big Thompson Canyon,
With ages from two up to ninety plus four,
I only hope that they all went to heaven.
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- Hope you liked it, I really like this, and though it's a first draft I think I'll go back and rework it and flesh it out (maybe for posting on the 30th anniversary coming this year)
- For more on the Big Thompson Flood (which is known in Christian circles for the lost lives of several Campus Crusaders) go here (it's really cool)
- Also check out the post on my blog regarding this one.
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Ideas for this weeks project welcome, call me and I won't post one. Cheers.