September 11, 2006

Where were you 5 years ago when you heard the news? I was home with my daughters playing with them when my husband called me and told me to turn on the TV to find out what was going on. It was strange because it was the one morning I chose to keep the tv off while I played with them. I remember the image of the burning tower. I remember the news media still speculating as to what happened. At first most thought it was a plane crash. Then before I could collect myself I saw the other plane make its entry into the adjacent tower. I knew. I knew immediately it was an act of terrorism.

Since then, everytime breaking news comes on it stirs up a fear in me. How has it changed you? I have a deep respect for Firefighters and the families that support them. In life and in death. I feel guilty for the freedoms we enjoy while the families who suffered loss are struggling each day without their loved ones. There are so many emotions, so many tragedies and with that so many acts of heroism. God bless America today and always.

TWO THOUSAND ONE, NINE ELEVEN (2001-911)
Two thousand one, nine eleven
Five thousand plus arrive in heaven
As they pass through the gate,
Thousands more appear in wait
A bearded man with stovepipe hat
Steps forward saying, "Lets sit, lets chat"
They settle down in seats of clouds
A man named Martin shouts out proud
"I have a dream!" and once he did
The Newcomer said, "Your dream still lives."
Groups of soldiers in blue and gray
Others in khaki, and green then say
"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine
"The Newcomer said, "You died not in vain."
From a man on sticks one could hear
"The only thing we have to fear.
The Newcomer said, "We know the rest,
trust us sir, we've passed that test."
"Courage doesn't hide in caves
You can't bury freedom, in a grave,"
The Newcomers had heard this voice before
A distinct Yankees twang from Hyannisport shores
A silence fell within the mist
Somehow the Newcomer knew that this
Meant time had come for her to say
What was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day
"Back on Earth, we wrote reports,
Watched our children play in sports
Worked our gardens, sang our songs
Went to church and clipped coupons
We smiled, we laughed, we cried, we fought
Unlike you, great we're not"
The tall man in the stovepipe hat
Stood and said, "Don't talk like that!
Look at your country, look and see
You died for freedom, just like me"
Then, before them all appeared a scene
Of rubbled streets and twisted beams
Death, destruction, smoke and dust
And people working just 'cause they must
Hauling ash, lifting stones,
Knee deep in hell, but not alone
"Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, Yeowman
Side by side helping their fellow man!"
So said Martin, as he watched the scene
"Even from nightmares, can be born a dream."
Down below three firemen raised
The colors high into ashen haze
The soldiers above had seen it before
On Iwo Jima back in '44
The man on sticks studied everything closely
Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly
"I see pain, I see tears,
I see sorrow -- but I don't see fear."
"You left behind husbands and wives
Daughters and sons and so many lives
are suffering now because of this wrong
But look very closely. You're not really gone.
All of those people, even those who've never met you
All of their lives, they'll never forget you
Don't you see what has happened?
Don't you see what you've done?
You've brought them together, together as one.
With that the man in the stovepipe hat said
"Take my hand," and from there he led
five thousand plus heroes, Newcomers to heaven
On this day, two thousand one, nine eleven.

I do not know the author, sorry.
The man on sticks is:
Franklin Roosevelt - He said "All we have to fear is fear itself". He was stricken with polio at the age of 39 and used crutches.