Picture Perfect by Ben Franklin

5 days we had to wait,
5 days for some simple aid,
would we have had to wait that long if we lived in Washington
and were Highly paid?

You turned up with a smile on your face,
A public relations opportunity,
A picture of you with an upset black woman
sent to the worlds press to try and prove that there is still unity.

Whilst holding her You looked so sweet and tender,
but you have proven that the lower class are at the bottom of
your bullshit agenda.

Time has passed,
and still places look like junk yards,
people still in Desperation asking why,
we were given false promises by a man who only seems to know how to lie.

Maybe one day we will get back to Normality here,
maybe at the end of this tunnel we shall see that light,
maybe normality would have happened Quicker
if we lived in washington and we were all
white?

Meridian (70.106.25.253) -- Sunday, January 8 2006, 09:42 pm

B. Let me give you a hug.
Benny! I understand you perfectly. Don't I know it. For all of those famished families who were in dire need of food, clothing, and shelter----5 days of waiting around were ridiculous! It was a wonder some young children and elderly people made it out alive. We're talking about 5 days of fasting here. No wonder why we saw so many black people desperate and desolate and longing just to be heard that companies might have a little heart and attend to them and notice them. Shoot. This type of stuff makes one angry just by looking at it. Houses in ruins, no running water, no electricity, no nothing and it had to take 5 lengthy days, 120 hours. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why they had to wait for so very long. We know the deal.

Brilliant poem!

Meridian (70.106.25.253) -- Sunday, January 8 2006, 09:55 pm

if I misinterpreted your poem
I probably misinterpreted your poem, but you just made me think about hurricane Katrina victims because they had 5 days as well. Maybe you can explain what you meant in your poem so that I can get a better understanding. I just took the hurricane Katrina victim topic and ran with it, without really looking deeply into the poem to realize that it could mean something else. Well, you know me, always jumping to conclusions. I see right now, that this has to be another new years resolution for me to follow through with. (Hehhehe)

Still, all the same, it's a good poem.

John E (198.240.128.75) -- Monday, January 9 2006, 05:24 pm

AGAIN!
Why do you persist to write stuff that you know will offend people?yes it was a tragic thing that happened,but why do you feel the need to bring race into it?

Clive (71.37.156.96) -- Monday, January 9 2006, 06:37 pm

It always needs to be siad
Race was a big part of this tragic storm,
Ben I have seen you grow in your writing.
It was a situation this country should have been rady for, Storms are not a once in a 100 year thing , they happen every year, yet aid still seems shocked that it happened,
Well done Ben

Ben f (82.2.255.18) -- Monday, January 9 2006, 08:47 pm

meri,John & Clive
Meri,I tried to put across the views of alot of the survivors.Yes there were also other ethnic groups who were let down by their goverment,but,the Majority of the survivors were black.Like I said,if this happened anywhere else it would of been a different situation.

John E,wow,you really say whats on your mind brother..as do I!I felt the need to bring race into this Piece as its a huge part of the Disgraceful thing that was called a Relief effort.did you expect me to beat around the bush just like a Politician does?Im sorry if I 'once again' offended you,but hey,truth hurts.

Clive,Thank you for still taking the time to read my work,its much Appreciated.

Tammy (66.38.4.180) -- Monday, January 9 2006, 11:13 pm

Ben
I enjoy reading your poems, your a great writer.... Keep speaking the truth!

Terrie* (69.19.137.96) -- Tuesday, January 10 2006, 02:48 am

I Am Alway's Touched By Your Work
Hi Sweetie, this is a great write you composed here, makes people read and hear what is bein' addressed,all based on true facts, some will differ in opinion, all i wamt to say is, continue writin' what your heart has to say WE HEAR YA SON ! we hear ya, and so do the ones that felt like they have been forgotten, with your words here they will know that the situation was not shunned nor dismissed abrubtly.your expression on real life events reflects on your heart...a true humbleness in your heart you posses..called Love ! this deserves a standin' ovation ! i applaud you ..be who you are ! wouldn't want ya any other way ; )

Terrie* (69.19.137.96) -- Tuesday, January 10 2006, 02:55 am

oh and.....
i wanted to add cain you imagine what these folks went through? losin' everything ,from possesion's, loved ones and total identity to life's daily staple WATER...yea this deserves a grand applause !
makes think twice 'bout B******* and complainin' for the very things we take for granted they lost no matter how Mi-nute they may seem. Aun-T

Shanara (75.29.115.24) -- Tuesday, January 10 2006, 05:38 am

Actually
when any community is hit with a catastrophy the color of a persons skin does not matter to nature. All of us no matter to skin suffered great loss at the hands of nature. We were not prepared. We didn't believe it would happen to us. To blame it on skin color is a biggotry all its own. We all suffereed equally. We all lost people we loved. White black yellow red. This was a predominately black area of New Orleans that was hit so yes most people living in the area were of color. The time for rescue was due to the distruction of the area. We couldn't be gotten to. All we could do was wait. To try and blame it on a race cheapen the loss of my loved ones. The hurricane knew no color. Next time if I am told a hurricane is coming my family will leave instead of chooseing to stay and test nature. It was a tragedy and we all have learned a horribly hard lesson. And we mourn those we have lost.

anonymous (207.200.116.133) -- Tuesday, January 10 2006, 07:02 am

My 2 cents-When?
They knew it was coming, question is when? They drain the swamp lands, just to build more houses, they laid oil pipes throuh the natural barrior swamps to the oil rigs out at sea. Mother nature blew up those trenches and under mine their walls. Now- the when-is here. I like a poem that stirs it up. Thanks Ben.

Ben f (82.2.255.18) -- Tuesday, January 10 2006, 08:07 pm

Tammy,Terrie*, anonymous and Shanara...
Tammy thank you so much,always nice to see someone who likes what I do...thank you

Terrie* your comments always give me a much needed lift..thank you.

Anonymous,I always try and write things that 'may' make people think,glad this one worked..thank you

Shanara,I dont deny that "The hurricane knew no color",but the goverment does.Im sorry,but it does not take 5days to turn up and help,people who do that job said they were ready and waiting to go in,but kept getting told to wait.
yes we must mourn and be thankful for not being caught up in such turmoil,but we should also ask the question...why did it take so long?thank you for reading.

John E (198.240.128.75) -- Wednesday, January 11 2006, 04:08 pm

see!
Sharna see's what Im saying,she see's that the hurricain was not about race,but Just a tragic thing that couldnt be avoided.Dont get me wrong,I think your brave to write something like this, ...but I dont think that it was appropate.

Ben f (82.2.255.18) -- Wednesday, January 11 2006, 07:26 pm

Now come on...
John,Its obvious you dont not like what I have wrote,you have stated that,and thats your view,which you are entiltled to. ...Plus I think your missing the point,this is not about the Hurricanes destuction,its about the Relief effort(or lack of) after the event. ...if you dont like the poem thats fair enough, thank you.

JD (69.223.224.108) -- Wednesday, January 11 2006, 10:16 pm

hmm
I think what the other people are trying to say is that when there are lots of people to be rescued it is going to take time. That is not about politics. Some people were easier to get to and some were not. It takes time to get into a destroyed area. People cannot save anyone if they are dead themselves from electocution from live powerlines, or from people shooting at them. You cannot get an emergency vehical down a road that no longer exists. You cannot get a boat in were it will run up against trees and submerged cars and other stuctures. You can not rescue massive amounts of people from a helicopter when they are inside their homes trapped on the top floor where no one knows they are at. That's not politics my friend. That is common sense.. So lets see... How long did it take for you to get there to help Ben? It's easy to point fingers from accross and ocean and blame politicians. But maybe those fingers should be out there as part of a hand helping to get things done.

Meridian (70.106.25.253) -- Friday, January 13 2006, 04:52 pm

well, well, well
We have to look at the big picture, like Ben's poem, "Picture Perfect". I agree with him, not because I'm his friend; that has nothing to do with it. But he is right. We are living in a racist, greedy society. The government tries everything in their power to milk citizens out of their money for unnecessary stuff. Petroleum prices are sky-rocketing, insurance has gone up, but when it comes to something important and needful, like the hurrican Katrina event, it takes them time. What also got to me, was that a Wavy TV 10 journalist found someway to get to New Orleans, and Biloxi Mississippi by transportation anytime she interviewed a black home owner, and then interviewed a white lady and gave her a fresh water bottle and a few clothes. And that right there was before the 5th day.

What also got under my skin was the camera crew showing black people looting, when these folks were starving. If I was in the same situation, and the 1st 24 hours came by and my stomach is growling, I'm feeling nauseous and vomiting, I'd steal too. I hate to say it but you gotta forget the law if you are in dire need of food.
Plus, all local stores were in ruins anyway. The president's priorities were backwards....If you're gonna rescue a resident, at least go after the elderly, young children and babies first; whether they're trapped or not, regardless of color.

Oh, and they found ways to send a helicopter before the 5th day to aid a white woman, while black folks are all lined up and meanwhile, they showed on television how some of the elderly have perished while waiting and not having access to medication. Residents had to pull a black sheet over their heads while sitting in their wheelchairs, so it is a matter of politics.

And if they could aid a helicopter to rescue that woman, then they could've sent helicopter after helicopter over and gave residents food by a net....(you know, like a pilot's assistant could lower some water bottles so that they could reach them, while they wait)...
In no way am I trying to jump down anyone's throat. I realize that when you have a touchy subject such as this one, you'll have cons and pros and opposing sides. When I say the word "you" I am not aiming this at no one in particular, just in case you get the wrong idea.

Ing Twi Demalah (159.105.102.44) -- Saturday, January 14 2006, 03:09 am

Hmmmm........
You know what gets under my skin? The fact that many people lost their lives, their loved ones, theirs homes and instead of praying for those people or lending a hand to those in need, people here seem content to argue over the color of some persons skin on the news or on TV. Instead of helping people here further add to the sadness by focusing NOT on the tragedy, but color. Now that is a true tragedy, all the death and loss pushed aside so as to make room to complain about irrelevent issues. Instead of help only more sadness is offered, now truly sad. Ben, i cannot truly find words for your poem, it was well written i was not, however, fond of the topic. Keep writting though.

Meridian (70.106.25.253) -- Saturday, January 14 2006, 05:17 am

just re-read this
I just re-read my comment, and didn't realize I was repetitive. Sorry about that. Ing...I guess your comment was directed at me when you said, "you know what gets under my skin?" and "some people here seem content to argue over the color of some persons skin"....
Yeah, I hear what you're saying Mr. Ing, but I for one am not content to bicker over what advantages one race of people had over the other. I realize I wasn't there, I realize the roads were too destructive and damaged...that the roads were unearthed, that the trees that blocked pathways deterred rescue squads from helping the Katrina Victims. I'm glad that the majority have made it out alright and are still living to testify about it.

So, I'm not gonna dwell on the above any longer, because I've already touched on it. I'm only upset about the few videos I've seen on different websites and some of the quotes I've read from different residents.

But to reemphasize and reiterate what I've said earlier (at least I think I did) it is not my intention to sound biased and partial. The words I type or say don't exactly come out the way that I expect them to. My tone may not be offensive, but I guess it was about the way I wrote it, that someone might take it the wrong way....like I'm taking sides here.
Noooo....

However, I am unselfish and I do try to make it a habit to at least pray for the poor and needy, the bankrupt and insolvent, the less fortunate.
Beliefs are beliefs though, and not everyone has the same brainpower or we'd all be on the same page.

Not trying to change in what I said earlier, because it'll take me less than two seconds to type in the search engine and find facts and evidence to support my paragraph here. I'm just trying to attempt to set things straighter and smoother then what they may have appeared to be.

Not trying to be vindictive or get revenge either Ing Twi, so don't pound my head...lol
Debaters can disagree until they're fingers fall from typing or they're mouths drop from talking too much, too bad one can't get the other to go along with their view.

Well, I'm-a wrap my series of comments up. I never know when they're gonna be longer than anticipated. I've got to get a hold on these ideas.
See ya later all. Good poem again B.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All Rights Reserved. No part of this website, including all pictures and written words, may be reproduced or copied in any manner from this website without permission of the original author of the work. All poetry and pictures herein remain the sole property of the original author and/or copyright owner. All poetry on this website has been submitted by the original author of the work. To contact any author of the work please e-mail: dreamer@dreamersreality.com so the proper person may be notified.