Fables 9/11 Katrina

By Peter Nicholls

On September 11th, 2001, Peter Nicholls arrived at the pile that was the World Trade Center to assist with the rescue and recovery effort. He did not leave until two weeks later. Over the next decade he struggled to give voice to his experiences, connecting them to his childhood, his years of volunteer service in Namibia, and his work in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The selected poems in this volume are the most direct expression of what transpired during his stay at Ground Zero.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 11, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465392015

Peter Nicholls

Peter Nicholls is the author of Enjoy Being You, Enjoy Being Proud of Who You Are, and The Hunger to Grow. He is living his encore life after leaving full-time work. Aside from his passion for helping people enjoy being their true selves, Peter sings weekly in two choirs, plays golf with like-minded friends, and is actively involved in his local church, including convening a monthly house group. Peter lives in Adelaide and believes it is the best place in the world. He has two children and six grandchildren, all of whom he adores. Like many families today, they are spread far and wide, enjoying living their own best lives. Peter does, however, get to regularly enjoy relaxing at his daughter and son-in-law’s 30-acre farm in the glorious Adelaide Hills

Book preview

FABLES

The Feather

1.     Water

There once was a feather

    that flew through the air

With hardly a worry

    and never a care.

Its white fluffy sides

    would catch every breeze

That blew it through clouds

    or into the trees!

One day it was flying

    out over a lake

When a seagull came circling

    and said through his beak,

"My dear Mister Feather,

    you mustn’t fly here!

The water will grab you;

    you must have some fear!"

The feather looked down

    at the water below.

He saw how the waves

    rose high and fell low.

"I never considered

    the water," he said.

"It looks very soft,

    like a feather-filled bed."

Oh no, said the bird.

    "It’s more dangerous than that.

It will hold you more tightly

    Than a big hungry cat!

Here, let me help you

    away from this place.

Come into my beak

    and I’ll double your pace."

Together they flew past

    the lake and its beach.

The seagull flew high

    with feather in beak

Until there were clouds

    on the left and the right

And water from the lake

    was nowhere in sight.

"I’ll leave you right here,

    my friend Mr. Feather.

I have children to feed

    before the bad weather.

I wish I could take you

    down into my house,

But you won’t be safe

    next to four hungry mouths."

The bird let the feather

    loose high in the sky.

Thank you, said feather.

    "I think I’ll be fine.

I wish you the best

    every day of your life:

You taught me a lesson

    and saved me from strife."

2.     Wind

The clouds moved in closer

    around Mr. Feather.

They slowly grew larger

    and darker than ever,

Until the winds blew him

    in fast dizzy circles.

Below him he saw

    a long cloudy spiral:

A tornado! he heard

    from somewhere above.

"To make a big ring

    just grab on a glove."

They were people in parachutes

    who linked hands together

To make a large circle

    and fall slowly as feather.

One of the parachutes

    trapped him inside.

"Hello, Mr. Feather.

    Here’s a good place to hide

From the wind and the rain

    that could tear you apart

Before you reach ground,

    which is still very far."

"Thank you, Mr. Chute,

    for giving me shelter.

A seagull has taught me

    to stay far from water.

Now I will learn

    to avoid a tornado,

Where wind spins so fast

    and powerfully blows."

While feather and chute

    talked to each other,

The people’s big circle

    began to hover

Over the whirlwind,

    which blew them up high

Through the dark clouds

    and into blue sky.

Now you’ll be safe,

    the parachute said.

"We’ll fall very gently

    down onto that field.

There will be flowers

    and billowing grass

Where you can float

    until night has passed."

You helped me, said feather.

    "I give you my thanks.

I have two new things

    about which to think:

Be careful of water,

    be careful of wind.

Both of these could

    make my life end."

3.     Earth

The sun set behind

    the hills filled with flowers

When feather came floating

    down onto the ground.

The blades of grass

    were tall slender towers,

And all about him

    there wasn’t a sound.

Then suddenly came

    a fast furry mouse

Who sniffed at our friend

    with its long snout.

"Oh, what are you doing?

    Come quick to my house!

I have some tunnels;

    we’ll find a way out!"

But what is the problem?

    asked feather with care.

Without a word

    the mouse took him up

Into his mouth

    that shivered with fear.

He ran through the grass

    to a hilltop.

Behind them there ran

    a giant gray cat

That had eight long whiskers,

    twenty sharp claws,

Four shiny fangs,

    a tail like a bat,

Two glowing eyes,

    and four heavy paws.

The cat chased the mouse

    who held feather tight;

They swerved through the flowers

    all up the hillside;

They ran in the darkness

    of deep starry night

Up to a small hole

    where mouse jumped inside.

As they skittered

    through halls in the dirt,

Mouse said to feather,

    "I’ll leave you right here.

If I trick the cat

    you may not be hurt!

Don’t you worry:

    I’ll try to stay near!"

The mouse placed our feather

    next to a dirt wall,

Then turned