No panic shows
As people calmly
Board up offices
And homes along the coast
Mosquito mesh replaced
By sturdy plywood and screws
Reggae music still plays
And tourists brave the streets
That may not be here next week
Witty comments are heard
Amidst the agita
Of all the true veterans
Of the monster hurricanes
As the waves ripple
Against the shores so smoothly
As time shortens
In a theme well known
To coastal dwellers
But the true magic
Is the noble behaviors
Under fire.

9-14-03
Laura R