One: An American Poem
September 11, 2001
As the soot and dirt and ash rained down,
We became one color.
As we carried each other down the stairs of the burning building,
We became one class.
As we lit candles of waiting and hope,
We became one generation.
As the firefighters and police officers fought their way into the inferno,
We became one gender.
As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength,
We became one faith.
As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement,
We spoke one language.
As we gave our blood in lines a mile long,
We became one body.
As we mourned together the great loss,
We became one family.
As we cried tears of grief and loss,
We became one soul.
As we retell with pride of the sacrifice of heroes,
We become one people.
We are
One color
One class
One generation
One gender
One faith
One language
One body
One family
One soul
One people
We are The Power of One.
We are United.
We are America.*
September 11, 2001
As the soot and dirt and ash rained down,
We became one color.
As we carried each other down the stairs of the burning building,
We became one class.
As we lit candles of waiting and hope,
We became one generation.
As the firefighters and police officers fought their way into the inferno,
We became one gender.
As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength,
We became one faith.
As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement,
We spoke one language.
As we gave our blood in lines a mile long,
We became one body.
As we mourned together the great loss,
We became one family.
As we cried tears of grief and loss,
We became one soul.
As we retell with pride of the sacrifice of heroes,
We become one people.
We are
One color
One class
One generation
One gender
One faith
One language
One body
One family
One soul
One people
We are The Power of One.
We are United.
We are America.*
I have been so worried that today would come and go without much time for me to think about that day. I remember it so well. I stayed in front of my television for days. I didn't want to stop to eat or sleep. I was completely consumed with these people and their pain and sadness. I remember going to the grocery store a few days after, and waiting in line listening to the high school aged checkers laughing about some new movie. I was so angry. How can you act as if nothing has happened? How can you laugh? How can you just move on? I still kind of feel that way. Have we forgotten what happened? Does life really have to go on? I think the answer is yes...it DOES have to go on, but we can also remember. Flags are lining our streets this morning. It reminds me of how blessed I am to live in this country.
*Author unknown
6 comments:
Thanks Amy for your thoughts today. I almost did forget . . . over the past week, the upcoming anniversary would pass through my thoughts--as it does every once in a while, all of the time. Seven years have passed. Jonathan was 2. Matthew was months old. Then this morning, in the rush to get everyone into the car and get Jon to Shop-Ko on time, I didn't even think about it--till we backed out of the driveway and saw the flags lining the street. I love that sight. I really do. I love those flags blowing softly in the breeze. Moving with the wind. Anyhow, eventually I got KSL turned on and they were broadcasting the ceremony at Ground Zero. The names, once again, being read. One by one. The woman reading the names at the time read her father's name. A firefighter. It was such a surreal day. I had nightmares about it for a while. We had been to NYC the summer of 2000 and didn't take the time to go up in the towers--just thought they would always be there. We would do it next time we made it out to NYC. I remember, like you, watching TV day after day, hour after hour. The continous news feed at the bottom of the screen. I also remember listening to the radio and you know those radio mixes they put on there with the people calling their loved ones or whatever mixed with song--I think then the song was Hero. I remember specifically driving up to BYU to pick up Jon from class, listening to that song, bawling like a baby. What else to say . . . such a time of reflection on all we have. All we are blessed with. A time to remember. A time to pray.
Thank you for your poem Amy. It's too bad that it takes a tragedy to bring people together but even so it feels good to be united. My boys were watching replays today on TV and I just couldn't watch it. It makes me so sad, such a swirly stomach. We were at battery park in the shadows of the Towers 2 weeks before the towers fell. We were watching incredible contortionists twist their bodies in impossible ways, while we listened to urban music from their boom boxes, while we waited in line for the Statue of Liberty ferry. I still think about what would I have done had it happened the day we were there. I took video of the towers from the ferry, then again from my friend's roof - He had an awesome view. I used that same video to record the news off the TV showing the towers fall. I wanted my kids to remember they had been there in better times.
Thank you,Amy and thank you fellow Americans. I love you and I love this country.
I don't even know what to say today. Such a moving turning point in my life, like when Pearl Harbor was bombed or JFK was killed. I've always been very patriotic and I honor and appreciate those who made it possible and who continue to keep us free. I think the best thing that we can do is live. Appreciate what we have, and live our lives to the fullest. It would be the greatest honor to those who are no longer living and it proves to bad people everywhere that they didn't win on that fateful day 7 years ago, and they can never beat us down on any day to come. Thanks for the post. I should probably do something similar.
I can't believe it has been 7 years - it is almost like a dream (or nightmare) that it happened; unreal. Thanks for the beautiful poem. It really brings back what we have gone through.
Thanks Amy for your thoughts on this. I always feel close to tears when I think about that day. I was so surreal and I remember the few days after thay they grounded all aircraft thinking how quiet it was and that it was like nature was mourning too. I know that sounds stupid but that is what I remember. I also remember being so proud to be american and that even if the world wanted to try and destroy us it still didn't work and that nothing can keep us down for long. It was a sad day and one that cannot be forgotten.
C
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