Thanks to Katrina

from Reilly Morse, honorary CP resident on the 9th month anniversary of the storm

Thanks to Katrina

for introducing the rest of us to homelessness
and to those who lived it before you came
and for the chance to change ourselves
for letting us be saved from your tidal surge by hugging onto a tree

enabling us to cry when these lifelines were cut down
and for the chance to change ourselves
for a reprieve from consumerism
teaching us to make fix improvise

and for the chance to change ourselves
for drowning our conceit, complacency, callousness
for swallowing our Secessionist pride

for silencing the noise
for stopping the clock
and for the chance to change ourselves.