In rememberance...September 11, 2001

(I posted this poem in April, but in light of today's date, I decided to repost.)

"I was talking to a co-worker the other day about a poem I wrote right after the September 11, 2001 attacks. 9-11 has been on my mind all weekend, so I thought I would share.

This poem was published in a newsletter, sent to all of the Onondaga County employees on the first anniversary of the attacks.

Still, to this day... I don't understand what makes people do these crazy things. What motivates them to do it and how it could ever... make sense to them. My thoughts and prayers are always with those we lost on that terrible day. "

A PRAYER

…was the shock, then the hush,

then the awesome silence,

as we tried desperately to absorb,

the magnitude of violence.

…brothers and sisters united,

from all over the world,

their hearts were all breaking,

as a flag was unfurled.

Matters not, that they knew them,

hearts and tears work that way,

they all felt tied to a ‘someone’,

that was lost that fateful day.

Then slowly and sweetly,

silence turned from despair,

we don’t know where it started,

and we don’t really care.

…from high in the mountains,

from one country to another,

in the streets, in the forest,

from your sister to my brother.

The tune is so lovely,

it’s graceful and lyric.

The words speak of peace,

if you’re quiet you’ll hear it.

The world’s people are united,

the message is clear,

a solemn promise to ‘them’,

we will not live in fear…

A concert of devotion,

from fathers and mothers,

to the children we have,

and for the future of all other’s.

It sweeps deep in their hearts,

the song is love for mankind,

the harmonious tune,

plays forever in our minds.

We’ll continue, we’ll go on,

we’ll move forward with our lives.

But we’ll never forget our heroes,

those who gave up their lives…

Our America had been changed

by the events of that day,

for her children, and the parents,

it’s in their honor and their memory we pray.

So…pray to your God,

and I’ll pray to mine,

for the peace that we seek,

is that, which we find.

Copyright

Tamara J. Egan
September 22, 2001