A Sonnet for Appalachia

On Ararat, the sons of Noah bred;
new life arose again from earth and mud.
Then Elohim produced a bow and said,
“I will no more destroy all flesh by flood.”

From Mount Olympus, Zeus controlled the skies;
Aeolus gusted winds per his decree.
When teardrops flowed from Hyades’ sad eyes,
Poseidon fashioned cyclones from all three.

With rage, Helene arrived and slapped the shore,
then turned to Appalachia, dumped her rain.
Destruction worse than ever known before
as water, deep and fast, delivered pain.

Obliteration, death, but not demise—
with strength and faith, new life again will rise.