In Commemoration of 9/11
The following poem came to me from a recent homeschool graduate in the Washington, D.C., area. This young poet is a Christian and a patriot, and he well remembers 9/11.
On 9/11, those of us living in the D.C. area were most directly affected by the attack on the Pentagon. But our hearts went out to those in and near the World Trade Center as we watched, over and over again, the television broadcasts of the devastation in New York City.
The following poem reflects on what happened in the Washington, D.C., area and also touches on the larger significance of 9/11.
What Dreams May Come
Early to rise,
Early to bed,
For years
History has repeated itself.
Day and night,
Night and day,
The world keeps turning
Like a needle on a broken record.
Over the years, the record has a few scratches.
And one scratch is
Enough to stop the music-
On this day a shout came from many people-
People who would get up, have their coffee,
Read the newspaper, and go to work,
But this time all eyes are on those who shouted-
Shouted-
This is not a dream.
Those people died.
This is real smoke-
On this day all schooling stopped.
All roads to Washington are closed.
As the families of those who died
Watched in horror as this
News was being repeated
Like a broken record on the television,
All hope was lost.
Nothing ran through their minds
Except that family member,
That empty chair,
The kiss or hug before their spouse, son, or daughter went to work.
To those who lost someone important to them-
On this day the world stopped.
What of them?
What dreams may come for them?
I pray and hope for comforting dreams,
Dreams of happiness and love.
For the bodies of the lost loved ones may be here,
But their souls are up there,
Walking on the streets of gold
And sitting at the right hand of God.
They will be watching,
And hoping for dreams that are magical.
To those who came to destroy
The freedom of America-
Our freedom cannot be destroyed!
Every time an attempt or an attack is made,
People from all over the world unite
To help fight for freedom and destroy the C.A.I.R.ing system that hates
Everything we are and do.
God is on our side,
And the American dream still lives.
Contributed by NB
For an eyewitness's story about 9/11, see this.
posted by Always On Watch @ 9/09/2005 07:19:00 AM
28 comments
28 Comments:
People who died on 9/11 did so horribly. The families of those who died are victims, too. The difference is that the families will remember that horror every single day for the rest of their lives. This is why I believe that the families suffer the greatest tragedy. May God bless and comfort each one.
...makes a man sickly, poor, then dead?
...4 Years History has repeated itself?
...increase our plight
till we fade away?
Perhaps a reading might help...
Ecclesiastes 3
-FJ
Yes, it is true that our days are numbered and we should find comfort among those who love us, and in what we do each day. Because our days are numbered, the future may not be as important as today; the good feelings of hugging a loved one today is much preferred to the promise of hugging that loved one tomorrow. Not doing so today is a waste of an opportunity, and tomorrow may never arrive.
Perhaps my message didn't quite grab a wire...
Ecclesiastes 3, 22: Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
I like obscurity, but only when it help create clarity.
-FJ
The jihadists certainly rejoice in their own works--their works which destroy the lives of others. As those evildoers before the Great Flood, they are doing what is right in their own eyes.
In Ecclesiastes 2:11-14..."Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all." [death]
And in Ecclesiastes 3:17..."I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."
I havnt read all of Ecclesiastes yet, (still fumbleing my way through Corinthians.
But in general, the end of this poem made me think of a quote I heard. Not sure, but I think it was Lincon during the Civil War. here goes my paraphrasing "Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other [...] The Almighty has His own purposes".
In essence, Lets not pray or claim that God is on our side, but that we are on the side of God.
G,
I think that what the young poet means in those two lines is that God has enabled the American dream of freedom to survive, in spite of an upending event such as 9/11.
I would dispute that the jihadists and Christians pray to the same God, though what you mentioned was certainly true during the American Civil War when Christians fought on opposing sides. However, the Civil War was not inspired by a particular and opposing faith in the same way that the 9/11 attacks were.
PS: Corinthians is a lot more uplifting than Ecclesiastes; the latter is more pessimistic.
Good to have you back, AOW.
I posted the young man's poem on CUANAS as an answer to the disgusting "Memorial" they are erecting at the site of the UAL 93 crash/mass murder.
Good to have you back, AOW.
I posted the young man's poem on CUANAS as an answer to the disgusting "Memorial" they are erecting at the site of the UAL 93 crash/mass murder.
always,
Sorry. It's just that I found the Freudian associations in my own mind in completing the opening passages rather troubling and thought I could offer a "middle" way for the child that might give him/her some peace of mind. I'm afraid I don't always tell children the truth. I always hated "current events" in the classroom. I thought it gave me some bad habits. Like reading "newspapers".
-FJ
Welcome back AOW.
Pastorius,
How kind of you to link to the poem! The "Crescent" article you posted is very disturbing--too many subliminal images and certainly not fitting for the Memorial. In fact, that image gives the WTC site a completely abhorrent connotation.
FJ,
No need to apologize. Poetry is open to all sorts of interpretations, based on one's own perspective. Not being of Freudian orientation, I missed the connections you noticed.
You'll be glad to know that the young poet is not troubled, though the 9/11 was a dreadfilled time. The poem ends on an optimistic note, which is the result of the poet's Christian orientation. The poet has a strong sense of God's justice.
As to reading newspapers, one of the best parts of my recent vacation was not seeing the local paper every day. Of course, current events takes on greater meaning when one is caught up in them, especially geographically.
Pastorius,
Error! I meant the Flight 93 site. BTW, I've visited there--very moving. The crescent is completely inappropriate.
Glad to see you back, but now I have even another blog to add to "more than occasional" reading. Your guest blogger was great. Condidering Flight 93 please look here http://maccusgermanis.blogspot.com/
Since everyone here has pretty much said their piece, I will leave with a...
War Eagle!
one hour till kick off!
Gindy,
Today, our local VFW Post held an open house for the some of the recovering soldiers from Walter Reed; several were transported by bus, and we all had a good time.
But here's the best part: the city mayor, in honor of the VFW's hosting of the soldiers, officially proclaimed this day "Enduring Freedom Day" for our locality; the official letter from the mayor was a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11. I wish that I had the exact words, but I don't have handy a copy of the mayor's excellent letter. Nevertheless, I want to point out that here there was a fitting remembrance.
Also, tomorrow, September 11, the Northern Virginia Mustang Club will be doing a cruise to circle the Pentagon. We will have our vehicles decorated with flags and will be allowed time in the parking lot for a short service. The closing words of our club president's announcement were "WE SHALL NEVER FORGET!!!" My husband and I will be wearing our Ground Zero caps and our Flight 93 tee-shirts. No crescents!
Tommorow I will go to the local 9-11 memorial in town and sit for a while.
Mustang many of those who died did so in the effort to save lives. Maybe long after we are gone they will join the pantheon of heroes like the men at Valley Forge or the Alamo.
Please remember amongst mankinds worst was juxtaposed with the most noble of human behavior. 9-11 will never be forgotten by those who were there or those who watched on TV.
Please remind any of those idiots spreading BS conspiracy theories that they dishonor themselves and the memory of the brave men who perished that day.
Beak,
Thank you for reminding all of us of the nobility of spirit of those who unselfishly and valorously rushed in to save others. Yes, they are heroes--much like the soldiers of Valley Forge and the Alamo.
As I've mentioned to you before, I have a Ground Zero cap. To it, I have pinned a fireman's red hat. I get so many comments on that fireman's hat.
And, Beak, every chance I get, I tell people what I know of your story--the 1993 attack on the WTC and, of course, 9/11. Know that you are in the prayers of many who have never met you, but who read your blog.
I believe that everyone who sincerely prayed for our heroes on 9/11 and in those days following 9/11 are heroes of a sort as well--provided those same people still remember (How many seem to have forgotten!). Some of us are brave enough to recognize the different levels of the significance of that day.
You will be in my prayers tomorrow, Beak. I will pray that, as you continue to remember 9/11, your spirit will remain strong and undefeated.
That was so beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us, AOW. I can't believe it's been four years already. My heart is still sad.
Gindy,
The message was my long comment above, so scroll up.
Here in Northern Virginia, some communities gave special recognition to 9/11. Our local Mustang Club had a large turnout for the cruise today; all of us had flags of some sort--magnetic, decals, actual flags. One fellow fastened a huge flag to a 2x4, and his flag flew high above his convertible, all the way from Dulles to the Pentagon. Quite a sight! And we made quite a sound too, with all the loud, hotrod exhaust systems. We looked like and sounded like a military group. Some in the club lost friends on 9/11, and they spoke at the service we had, under the cerulean blue sky.
In fact, there were lots of tributes at the Pentagon besides the walk. You should've seen all the Harleys, with flags flying. As we entered the parking lot with all the Mustangs, the Harleys were coming out. Walkers in the area gave us cheers and thumbs up. Patriotism lives here, and today was a day for showing it.
FNC had a lot of 9/11/01 footage on this morning, 8:30 a.m. until 8:45 a.m., EDT. As I finish typing this in, our local news is giving a few moments of coverage to today's events. I'd like to see more coverage.
Americans must never forget what happened on 9/11/01!!!
TMH,
Glad that you like NB's poem. I'm very proud of what the young poet conveyed here.
The little piece I wrote for TWA was done in a hurry; in fact, because of time constraints, I took some of it from a comment I had posted earlier today at another blogger's site. But I had to weigh in at TWA.
If you see the comment above (to Gindy), you'll see that I was so right to give the Mustang cruise priority. So many patriotic Americans today came out to show their unity against the enemy! With two pro-athletic events going on here--Redskins game and Nationals game--I am so heartened that so many people chose to support this nation by pausing at the Pentagon.
Esther,
NB is a wonderfully patriotic and Christian young man and, in my opinion, an exceptionally talented budding poet. He makes his parents so proud! And, as I'm no poet, I treasure those who can write such moving words.
I feel privileged to have been NB's English teacher (He also studied Spanish, Debate, and American Government with me). To be a part of such a young person's life is one of the great benefits of being a teacher.
I hope that NB will allow me to post some more of his work. Poetry touches the heart in a special way.
NY Girl,
Yes, I am still grieving. Though I didn't lose anyone whom I personally know, I feel as though I did.
I hope you had a nice vacation. This poem is impressive. I feel I see the videotape of the terrorist attack. Is he (or she) really a schoolboy (or girl)?
Historically, terrorism itself is nothing new. But such a mass murder of innocent people was unprecedented. 9-11, 3-11, and 7-7…. But no more X-X.
Shah,
Yes, NB is young (graduated high school in June, 2005, and just entered college this past August, as a freshman. Hard to believe that one so young can create such profound imagery, isn't it? This is a sample of NB's work; NB is quite a prolific poet.
PS: I did indeed have a nice vacation--away from crowds and traffic--very restful. Unfortunately, it's back to work tomorrow.
Something happened on 9/11/01 that I don't think many give any thought to, I posted on it today. Children were born on that tragic day. I'm thinking they could be our greatest hope for tomorrow.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
It's been an honor to write for a teacher who has given me the inspiration and the spark to write poetry passionately. Many words can be said about 9/11; all I can say is from the heart.
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