This month’s profile will be slightly different. Several students from the 6th grade asked if they could tell us of their personal experiences during Hurricane Ivan. So the following are their stories. Enjoy!



Hurricane Ivan – Natasha Dyer

Hurricane Ivan stirred up the sand,
Broke my hand
And killed Mr. Gland.
It was very horrible,
And also very terrible.

It made the sky so dark
And all the puppies began to bark,
Just then I shook!
When I heard, “Look, Jenny Look!
There’s our favorite bike
That we truly, truly like.”
It was flying as if it had wings,
With all different kinds of things.

I was shocked to see my bike fly,
With all of Grandma’s new board ply.
I went in my bed
Just as I lay I bumped my head,
So I covered with the sheet,
But, oh! What a heat.
I went back to the window
Along with my pillow
To see if the hard breeze had stopped.
I suddenly dropped
And fell asleep on the ground.

I dreamt that I was almost drowned.
I then woke up in sudden shock
Realizing I almost had a heart attack.
Noticing I was not in my bed
I thought now I was really dead.

I crept in quietly
And very silently,
Until I fell deep, deep
Into a mournful sleep.
When it was morning
I heard lots of moaning,
Even when lots of us were still snoring.



Hurricane Ivan – Mederana Williams

It was the tenth of September before it happened; the very thing everyone dread. It was what everyone had been preparing for, yet hoping for not to come; instead, to cowardly turn back and hit the sea. Unfortunately, this was unable to be stopped. It was around six thirty when it finally showed its face. Courageously it came, planning not to turn back, but ready to strike.

Hurricane Ivan the most dreadful and deadliest thing was approaching Jamaica. It caused major damage to parishes such as St. Elizabeth, Clarendon, Manchester, Westmoreland, and St. Ann. All Jamaica got a “dose” of this deadly medicine; one that cost seventeen lives and lots of damages.

It was a wide hurricane. The wind and rain spread over 200 miles in all directions. Even though we did not get the eye, we still got it hard. It was in the highest category that a hurricane had ever hit Jamaica; it was a category four. After the hurricane there was no electricity, water, and a shortage of certain food. A lot of schools were closed which was especially bad for the G.S.A.T. and C.X.C. students.

Things are coming back to normal but it will take a while for everything to be just as it was before. Hurricane Ivan is one hurricane that no one would like to experience again.



Hurricane Ivan – Deanna Dicker

We were given warnings,
Early in the mornings.
We thought it was like the others
Fortunately, we had smart mothers.
They fluttered everywhere,
Telling us to beware,
The hurricane is almost here!

Into stores we went
On the food aisles we were sent.
Tin food were all the rage,
We stocked them up everywhere,
Even in the bird cage!

We all waited,
Some hesitated.
But it never failed to come.
It blew out the sun
With its strong winds,
Then to be worse, it started to throw things!
The light flickered,
The wind snickered.
I felt really bad
And extremely sad.
I looked out my window,
Then dropped on my pillow.
It lasted two days
The whole island was in a haze.

It destroyed Bamboo Avenue,
And took everyone’s revenue.
Out of control, that’s the words for the waterfalls,
And the trees were appalled.
Then the clouds slowly vanished.
We were all astonished.
For we thought the sun would never rise.

We got back our houses to normal size.
It’s finally gone away,
And we are alive to see another day.



Hurricane Ivan – Dave Lloyd

When Hurricane Ivan came,
People thought it was a game,
Every hurricane by that name,
Will always have a bad fame.

Roofs were flying,
Animals dying,
Children crying.
And oh! Everybody sighing.

Many sitting in the sun,
Eating bread and bun,
That was no fun,
The game had just begun.

Ivan you have left us in pain,
And many are insane,
With nothing to gain,
Ivan, never come again!



The Hurricane– Channique Nathan

Hurricane Ivan destroyed a lot of things,
It splashed all the waters and then started to sing.
It gave me a great fright
When the winds started to bite.
My mom said, “Look honey, look!”

And I began to shake.
I climbed under my sheet
But oh, what a heat!
The bells started to ring
Which went ding, ding, ding!

Mrs. Brown from down the lane
Went totally insane
When she was that the hurricane
Had destroyed all her sugar cane.

Things started to fly
Just when my sister said, “Oh my!”
Then I heard a big sigh.
“What is it?” I asked.
Hurricane Ivan has said goodbye to Jamaica!



Hurricane Ivan - Odane Hill

We heard for days he would appear,
At first no once seemed to care,
But as the warning to more intense,
People sought to use their common sense.
They battened down windows and doors,
And start to clear the tall trees.

He finally came with a whoosh and a boosh
Blowing trees, downing poles,
And giving wings to sheets of zinc.
He lingered on into the morn,
Leaving us with a sense of forlorn.
I am glad the terror is gone.


Please add your comments or messages about these stories below:

Beautiful, some of the lines made me laugh. Keep up the good work. Continue inspiring us with your beautiful rythymic rhymes. You all have displayed poetic talent. BRAVO!!!!!!Thanks for penning the experience. You all Rock!!!

What beautiful poetry! I'm so impressed by your poetic talent! Perhaps you could publish a small collection of poems from Hurrican Ivan.....I think it would be smashing success! Kudos to all of you!

my heart is so sick for all of you. I have been to St. Elizabeth many times and have seen pictures of the damages that Ivan left. Please know that people here in the States have been praying for you then and now as you continue to rebuild and restore your lives.

Those prayers are so appreciated and needed Katie. Thank you very much. My personal observation: I just visited an area of Florida which was hit by hurricane Charley. I was impressed by how far we have come in our reconstruction here in Jamaica vs. there. I'm sure there are many factors involved as to why this is, but it was so encouraging for me to see how far we have come in our recovery, a large part due to all of your support!

Hi Katie,

Thanks for your kind and thoughtful words.St Bess and Treasure Beach will be back just as it was before because we have hard working wonderful people trying to let that happen.Mother nature have a way of destroying but, at the same time thinks even return with more beauty.We wll have to stick together and make it happen.Like the saying goes God help those who help themselves so, we all have to help in rebuilding TB and with time, our hard work will show.

"Wow! Wow! I say Wow to all our young poets in TB you are all truly awesome .love you all keep up the good work.

Hi!

I heard a lot about this hurricane from media. But as you probably can imagine, it wasn't what I read on this page...

Can anybody tell me what exactly happened in Treasure beach (town that I will allways remember)? I was there in 2002, in Waikiki guest house...

Tnx.

Diana, if you go to the option in the top left corner of this screen that says Search, click on it, and search for "Ivan" going back about 215 days, you will find many, many entries as to what was happening before and after the hurricane.

Wow, 7 months since Ivan.

it was very . stupid

I know am very late....but was just reading old 'profiles' and came upon ths. Absolutely beautiful, our young people have talent and should be encouraged to develop their skills.