A mother’s head bows briefly, 
jade eyes and jaws clenched
tight, like her grasp on survival,
like her clutch on anything left 
standing, unwilling to view 
destruction visible only as dawn
breaks through devastation
below her. 

Tear-glossed jade scans sky
for angels, for wings among
the innocence of clouds
caressing a new day. She
clings to yesterday as river’s  
vengeance rages memories
distant from reach, in floods 
surrounding her.  

Infant shelters in father’s clasp,
responds to maternal sounds.
mother’s heartbeat pounds past
water’s rampage to nurture him
from roof. Newborn baby blues
shimmer, retina too young to
focus on the fury deluging
his cradle, but strong enough
to see his father’s arms of
protection.

author’s note: This poem was written in response to needs and requests for donations of baby formula, diapers, and other infant supplies for Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Seeing the items, including those for infants whose newborn world was flooded, loaded on trucks for delivery to North Carolina from my Georgia community, conveyed the power of neighborhood.