Hurricane Andrew will always be a part of the story of south Florida. For those who have only seen pictures or heard secondhand stories, it may be difficult to imagine the utter devastation, or the Herculean effort it took to recover from it. But for both of those reasons, it will always be a part of many Floridians own personal stories. The Museum’s new Hurricane Andrew exhibit tells the tale of the storm from the point of view of the people who survived it. But it has also inspired people to come forward to re-tell their own account – how it felt, how it sounded, and how it still stays with them. One visitor was compelled to come to the exhibit with her children, and to share a poem with us that she wrote 20 years ago, at age 19. She has allowed us to share it with you here:
ANDREW A little wind, a little rain, Every year it’s the same old thing By Sunday we figured we’d play their game So we boarded up our house, every neighbor did the same Hurricane parties on every block Friends and family, there they would flock Later that evening this all had seemed dumb, By that time we were wishing that Andrew would come At three in the morning, every station had bad news Just about that time, FPL blew a fuse We went to a room and there we would stay Everyone silent in hopes he would go away He tapped on the glass and pounded on the door We ignored him as we huddled on the floor He came through the kitchen window first Then out our front doors he had to burst Another wind came back around Leaving our roof on our neighbor’s ground Before long, we sat in water six inches deep We were tired and wet, but who thought of sleep? At eight o’clock it was safe to venture out We were all alive without a doubt We walked the streets to see what Andrew left behind Some really familiar houses were very hard to find Some of our neighbors we’ve never met If this had not happened we may have not yet Small children and ladies with eyes full of tears Devastation that will haunt us for many years Troops are here to make things OK But this is by far Miami’s worst day! – Kerri W. G., 9/92
Hurricane Andrew through the eyes of children
