Hurricane
Original Broadway Cast of "Hamilton" & Lin-Manuel Miranda Lyrics

In the eye of a hurricane
In the calm center of chaos and destruction

There is quiet
There is stillness, a temporary lull in the chaos

For just a moment
Only briefly

A yellow sky
A surreal sky, tinged with the hurricane's effects

When I was seventeen a hurricane
When I was young, disaster struck my town

Destroyed my town
Brought devastation to my community

I didn't drown
I survived the disaster

I couldn't seem to die
I lived on despite the overwhelming tragedy

I wrote my way out
I found solace and salvation in writing about my experiences

Wrote everything down far as I could see
Documented everything I observed and understood

I looked up and the town had its eyes on me
Others noticed and recognized my writing and its power

They passed a plate around
Strangers generously offered financial support

Total strangers
People who did not know me

Moved to kindness by my story
Inspired by the story I shared with them

Raised enough for me to book passage on a
Provided enough money for me to travel

Ship that was New York bound
Voyage to a new opportunity

I wrote my way out of hell
Writing helped me escape a difficult situation

I wrote my way to revolution
Writing became a tool for political and social change

I was louder than the crack in the bell
My words had more power than the ringing of a bell

I wrote Eliza love letters until she fell
My writing captured the heart of my spouse

I wrote about The Constitution and defended it well
I used my writing to support and explain the principles of American government

And in the face of ignorance and resistance
Despite opposition and lack of understanding

I wrote financial systems into existence
I used writing as a means of creating and building economic systems

And when my prayers to God were met with indifference
When my requests of divine intervention were ignored

I picked up a pen, I wrote my own deliverance
I wrote my own path to salvation and success

I was twelve when my mother died
I lost my mother at a young age

She was holding me
She was physically close to me when she passed

We were sick and she was holding me
We were both suffering at the time

Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it (I'll write my way out)
I am determined to use writing to overcome obstacles

Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it (write everything down, far as I can see)
I will record everything that happens to me, for my own benefit and for others

Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it, wait (history has its eyes on you)
Your actions and decisions will be remembered and judged by history

Overwhelm them with honesty
Be sincere and truthful, even when it is difficult

This is the eye of the hurricane, this is the only
This moment is a brief break from the chaos of life

Way I can protect my legacy
Writing is the best means of preserving my reputation and impact

The Reynolds Pamphlet
A written document that exposed a political scandal