Dori Week 3 PAP- Looking Through the Destructive Eye of a Hurricane

     In 2007, Natasha Trethewey wrote “Providence,” a poem revealing the impacts of the 1969 Hurricane Camille on her. To enable the reader to visualize her unsettling circumstances, Trethewey uses imagery by describing what she saw when sheltered. She describes the “hurricane parties, palm trees leaning in the wind, fronds blown back, a woman’s hair” to illustrate how strong and intimidating the winds were. Moreover, Trethewey writes about how she “huddled all night [with her family] in [their] small house, moving between rooms, emptying pots filled with rain,” showing the discomfort through being cramped in smaller spaces and having to hide from the unpredictable force outdoors. Trethewey’s imagery allowed me to place myself in her shoes and empathize by being able to envision the situation: she does not directly explain the fear or apprehension she felt, rather she depicts it through figurative language. Also, through the structure of the poem, Trethewey uniquely symbolizes the strength and pervasiveness of the hurricane. Her sentences seem to float left and right as you read, which may represent the rapidly moving storm and winds, as well as the destructive pathway of Camille.  

    Trethewey then discusses the effects of the storm, saying how her family’s “house--on its cinderblocks--seemed to float in the flooded yard: no foundation beneath [them], nothing [she] could see tying [them] to the land.” The last sentence that follows is, “In the water, [their] reflection trembled, disappeared when [she] bent to touch it.” Both of these quotes demonstrate the physical and emotional implications of Hurricane Camille on her family and her. The comforting cinderblock house that appeared sturdy merely one or two days earlier was suddenly damaged and unrecognizable from flooding. Trethewey's foundation that she was so familiar with--as well as her reflection-- disappeared without a warning, depicting how quickly the hurricane seemed to steal her home, comfort, life, and identity. In other words, when the home she grew up in was destroyed, parts of her were too. 

    I believe that this poem was meaningful and important to read. While I, fortunately, do not remember experiencing a tumultuous hurricane, Trethewey’s successful use of imagery and interesting poem structure offered me a glimpse into what it can be like. This poem also critically spreads awareness of the damaging effects of natural disasters on families and individuals. It demonstrates how natural disasters can have lasting impacts on someone for several decades, whether it be emotionally traumatizing or causing financial debt and detriment. “Providence” seems to implicitly encourage the reader to become more aware of those in need who suffered from such disasters, and to lend a helping hand however possible.

https://poets.org/poem/providence