Hurricane Harvey Lowku

When Hurricane Harvey ravished Houston in 2017, homes were flooded that had never flooded before, and thousands of people were displaced. Elaine Parker Adams was one of those evacuees, her home partially flooded by waters released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from two fragile dams—the Barker and the Addicks. She describes the event in 50 lowku poems—poetry from the haiku family that focuses on societal issues rather than nature—each accompanied by a narrative.

Hurricane Harvey Lowku is divided into five sections—Risk, Rescue, Recovery, Restoration, and Return—and many of the poems deal with the hardship caused by the hurricane. Adams doesn’t limit her attention to the Houston calamity and pays respect to victims of hurricane disasters in New Orleans and Puerto Rico. Her poems explore nature’s simmering rage as the storm poured rain for days.

Adams discusses the vulnerability of the flood victims—their wait for rescue, their struggle to find shelter, their recognition of what they lost, their support from the community, their frustration with red tape, and their unrelenting efforts to restore their homes. Hurricane Harvey Lowku not only reveals the intimate experiences of one Hurricane Harvey survivor, it affirms the “Houston Strong” motto of her city. Adams emphasizes a positive message that tragedies can be overcome.