A poem about what I would take in the flood

I wrote this poem last night and although it needs a little work, I wanted to post it now. It came about as a result of thinking of what I would take out of my home. All the things that were important to me. I have also spent hours talking to people whose homes are completely flood destroyed and this inspired some of my thoughts.

What would you take?


The water is rising, it is rising so high

The land that we stand on isn’t going to stay dry

They’ve told us to pack up; they’ve told us to go

What should we take, I really don’t know?


I decided I needed my clean underwear

I needed the children, I stood and I stared

All my possessions that for years I had bought

I thought were important, it seems they were not


The dogs, we added to the car load,

The laptop and documents hardly made an inroad

I stared at my books, my pictures and plates

I wanted it all, but needed to make haste


I grabbed albums of memories, my jewellery and dreams

I watched as the water through the house made a stream

The children were calling it was time to go

The rest of the house; nature would swiftly swallow


That night they all sat, in the dark, in the hall

They were not alone, there are many more –

Who like them had left all their possessions behind

They had their lives, so it was too soon to mind.


What would I take if I had to leave?

I was one of the lucky, yet still I grieve

For all those who lost so much in the flood

And what was left is now covered in mud


So I hope I can help in just a small way

By giving my time and some possessions away

All of the possessions that were so important to me

I didn’t need when I thought I would have to leave


So if I don’t need them today or right now

There’s someone out there who may use them somehow

So I will sort out all the extras that I own

and give them to others to start a new home.


All that I need lives in my heart

My family, my dogs, they will always be part

Of a rescue from water that rises that way

And yes I need love – which is free anyway.