To the editor: Rain — July 10th and 11th, 2023

Clearing Skies by James Jahrsdoerfer.

The air was very humid and 80 to 90 for days.
And we all know that Mother Nature works in very mysterious ways.

It rained and rained and rained and rained. And then it rained some more.
And then the floodgates opened up and it began to pour!

Stratton, Killington, Okemo, and places way up high,
began to feel the wrath of the water from the sky.

Water from the rivers where rivers had never been,
tore up roads and caused mudslides and then —

Came down the mountains to the valleys far below.
And made it even harder for the traffic there to flow.

The river roars on mightily, and right before our eyes
go propane tanks and boards and things and trees of every size.

South Londonderry, Londonderry, Weston, Ludlow, towns all in a row.
And places all up through Vermont, the news began to show.

Of flooding roads and people’s cars floating down the streets.
The kind of situation we all hope we never meet.

Caring people, friends and kin joined with the rescue crews
to help the people from their homes. They all are brave and true.

Our son tried to go to work but all the roads were blocked.
And people going anywhere were in for quite a shock.

Our daughter and granddaughter worked from home that day.
They knew that all the problems would not come up their way.

Our other daughter lives in Tunbridge way up on a hill.
The water did not reach her but she had problems still.

Her daughter, son, their families too
said, “water’s deep can we stay with you?”

So with his folks, and all their pets
it certainly was a crowded mess.

But things like this, the push and shove,
are always done with so much love.

Ball Mountain and Townsend dams protect the states below
and the workers close the floodgates so the water will not go.

So to the states below us, we are glad that we can help.
The water here is just the color of dirty chocolate milk.

It leaves a coating of mud so rich and thick.
It gets inside their homes — they know It won’t clean up quick.

The water held back by the dams backs up and blocks our driveway.
At times like this, like other times, we know that it won’t stay.

We have no way to leave our house, the water it surrounds us.
We are happy staying here because we know we must.

Electric, food and water keeps us in good cheer.
And there are lots of little things we can do while we are here.

From Monday and through Tuesday was life beyond belief —
and then on Wednesday morning, we finally got relief.

The water in our gravel pit is starting to flow out.
Which means the flood gates at the dams are letting water out.

There is a very happy note to all that we went through.
So many friends and relatives were asking, “How are you?”

It’s really nice at times like this to know we’re not alone.
And we appreciate the love and caring that everyone has shown.

Barbara Rowe
South Londonderry