The Poetry Box

It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon. I was practically giddy with excitement, having successfully installed my new, hand-crafted poetry box* in front of our house near Asheville, North Carolina. In the same way little free libraries offer books to passersby, poetry boxes display a poem to read as well as offer copies for the taking.

There was no question which poem would be my first—an inspiring piece by Derek Mahon that I’d selected weeks ago. I carefully slid the printed poem into the box’s plexiglass paper holder. 

Heavy, unrelenting rain began that night. But who could have imagined that the next three days would bring a record-breaking 18.34 inches of rainfall to our beautiful mountain town?

During the wee hours of Friday morning, September 27th, the full force of Hurricane Helene struck, creating landslides, flooding homes, toppling power lines and trees, and devastating communities throughout Western North Carolina.

My own family was incredibly fortunate.

Weeks later, many neighboring Carolinians continue to suffer from heartbreaking losses. While the recovery of some regions will take years, extraordinary efforts to repair, restore, and rebuild roads, homes, and towns are well underway. A measure of healing has begun.

Stories of neighbors helping neighbors abound and the generous outpouring of support from across the country has been overwhelming. There is reason for hope.

It’s a tiny triumph, I know, but my poetry box stood solid through the force of Helene’s wind and water. Believe it or not, when I removed the poem from its holder one day after the hurricane, the page was completely dry. Mahon’s words survived, clearer, stronger, and more meaningful than ever:

EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT

How should I not be glad to contemplate
the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window
and a high tide reflected on the ceiling?
There will be dying, there will be dying,
but there is no need to go into that.
The poems flow from the hand unbidden
and the hidden source is the watchful heart.
The sun rises in spite of everything
and the far cities are beautiful and bright.
I lie here in a riot of sunlight
watching the day break and the clouds flying.
Everything is going to be all right.

By DEREK MAHON, from Selected Poems (The Gallery Press, 2008)

* Poetry Box built by David Cooke