I learned that one of my sisters had cancer,
Another had lost her best friend.
Living each day with more questions than answers,
And complacency comes to an end.  

Then I heard about billowing smoke and debris,
Steel and concrete crumbling like twigs;
People jumping from windows so they could be free,
Underneath the destruction, still more dig.  

Yet, from this inferno, this fire and heat,
Falling objects, thick layers of dust;
One thing emerged, which was bitter and sweet--
Many learned, in each other to trust.  

In Pennsylvania, still more horror unfolds,
As heroes gave up their lives;
By stopping an act so terrible and bold,
Leaving parents, kids, husbands and wives.  

The Pentagon was hit, and a good friend of mine
Told me her brother was there.  
Though her memory of him will forever shine
His remains were not found anywhere.  

On the observation deck I stood,
When visiting the Empire State;
Try as I might now, I never could
Feel what they felt, meeting their fate.  

So raise our flags and let us be proud
We were born in the land of the brave and the free;
Though now we live under dark clouds,
And from oppression some still aren't free ...  

Misguided zealots filled with hate
Should have no place upon this land;
For while we live, it's not too late
For those who care to take a stand.  

A world of tolerance I seek,
Pain and sorrow's what I find;
Where those who are strong can help the weak,
And for peace, we all have like minds  


It took me several years after 9 11 before I could write this.  .

Sleepytime

Perhaps it took you several years because the pain and the dust were flurrying around in your head and your brain was trying to make sense of it all -- and when the brain realized it could never make full sense of it all, the brain sighed and the words of tribute fell out.

Those words were incredibly beautiful.  Thank you so much for sharing them.


Linda


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Thank you, Linda.  I told myself that I shouldn't have posted this, after I turned off my computer.  But I appreciate your kind words.  

Sleepytime

I think it's wonderful that you posted this.   Don't feel at all bad about it.  I was moved by your poem, you should be proud.  It's particularly touching because of your personal connection to the events.  This Late Nite section is for off-topic purposes, we have it because this is a support forum ... for and about people with our condition.   We go through something similar, it's only right that we talk about other things in our lives that matter.  The 9/11 tragedy affected everybody, whether or not they knew someone who died or was hurt or had a family member directly affected.  

Like everyone else, initially I was in total disbelief.  Then later, I felt anger ... not just from the senseless loss of lives, but because the crime was so outrageous, so spectacular, that now once it was done I feared it's only a matter of time before someone will try to outdo this crime for something even more mindboggling.

I didn't know anyone directly connected with the events.  But like most people, I remember exactly where I was when I learned of it.  I was on a week's vacation.  At the time I lived in the Washington DC area but on that day I was 3 hours away in my hometown.  I'd actually gotten up before dawn to make the drive, and arrived in this town in the early morning.  At that time I volunteered in a small historical museum and I had gone into the building, into the tiny office to do some volunteer work.  I was alone.  The 9/11 events began while I was in this building, and there was no radio or television in the building.  It was a friend who came into the building who looked incredulously at me, telling me the news.  I didn't believe him, but it was clear he was serious.  Feeling so strange not being near news, I went over to a family friend and we were in front of the television for most of the day.  

I remember feeling particularly strange that I wasn't in the Washington, DC area during this.  It would  have been a different perspective.  Because although national news coverage did include the Pentagon tragedy, most of the news focus was on New York.  Had I been home, I would have seen much more local news coverage of the D.C. area.  

The day after the events, I was burnt out on watching all the television coverage, I needed to get away from it.  I drove to the beach which is about a half hour away.  I stared out at the ocean, noticing the few people still taking in the sun on the beach.  At that time all air traffic had been halted.  But we saw an airplane fly by, following along the beach.  It was odd how every head at the beach was lifted, watching.  I know it was a military plane, because that's the only aircraft allowed to fly at that time.  But it was an odd feeling watching it.  We weren't scared, but it was just an eerie reminder of the day before and the bizarre circumstances of the tragedy.

Again, don't feel bad about posting it.  It was a major event, it affected people around the world.  It wasn't the largest single loss of life in a tragedy, there have been other tragedies, man-made and not man-made.  But it doesn't matter, any loss of life is horrific and painful.  The 9/11 tragedy gave the whole world pause to remember just how precious life is.   Thanks for posting it.


Linda


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