Geologists warn,
officials ignore,
give out permits anyway.
Don’t worry,
build your homes out there,
the mountain side
could never slide
that far.
But it did.
And now the fingers
start to point
as they always do.
And to the victims
all the points are moot.
.
© 2014 Betty Hayes Albright
.
Thoughts and prayers to all the victims and their families
after the huge, deadly landslide north of us
in Oso, Washington.
As of 4-25-2014: 41 dead, 2 still missing.
Seasonings 
My thoughts and prayers are with you!
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Thank you, Willow. No one I know personally lived close to this, thankfully. It seems these major events are happening worldwide with more frequency these days – or maybe there is just more media coverage. Either way, we can’t help but be affected, and to empathize.
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No this is true, maybe even the world is getting smaller!
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Its just the same in England thousands of homes built on flood planes and this winters storms, they where flooded for over two months.
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Hi Harry! That was in our news – the terrible floods in England. I hope YOU are high and dry.
It does seem to be the same everywhere – people being permitted to build anew on flood plains (and land-slide areas), etc. In this case, all the deaths could’ve been prevented if officials had only listened to geologists and not allowed anyone to build in the area. The mountainside had failed many times in the past – but we don’t seem to learn from history….
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Moot point, indeed, Betty. Shaking my head, wishing it were a bad dream.
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Yes, if only. Seeing it on t.v., reading the personal stories of survivors and the rescuers – it’s unimaginable.
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The photos of the deceased totally drug me under.
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Thank heavens I didn’t see those!
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Powerful piece Betty and something which can happen here too. So sad .
Love and hugs xxx
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Thank you, Christine. When these things happen around the world, we’re always empathetic – yet it’s always from a distance. Then it happens relatively close to home and we’re reminded – there is no “safe place”.
Hope you’re having a good day/night there. Sending hugs!
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Sapiens? Well, yes and no.
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Methinks this was meant to go on another person’s post? (Or perhaps I’m dense in making a connection – that’s more probable. 😀 )
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No, it was a comment on your poem, Betty. People are designated as being wise (sapient – “having or showing great wisdom or sound judgement”) and yet we don’t exactly seem to live up to it, permitting building in hazardous areas, and then doing so. This kind of lack of wisdom can be seen all over, of course. Look at the state human “sapiens” has got the planet has got into. 😦
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Oh Ben, sorry – I was indeed being dense. 😳 I’ve always heard that homo sapiens are supposed to be twice sapient, and I’ve also heard it said that the only way for humanity to ever show any great wisdom is to become thrice sapient – to evolve.
I’m in complete agreement with you… alas, Gaia is now beyond weeping.
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An all true situation.
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Indeed! History repeats itself time after time, and we never learn.
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A terrible event, to be sure and well said here.
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Thank you, Anna – it’s good to hear from you!
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They knew about it and chose to not spend the money, WHY? Now look at the money they will have to spend. small excerpt from http://losingamericanland.com/
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Thank you for the link – you have a most informative blog. Keep spreading the word!
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I read yesterday that unregulated logging contributed to this landslide that had such horrific consequences. How often money overrides sense … look at the dustbowl in the 30’s. Your poem is an excellent commentary – the last verse very powerful, Betty. XO
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