Fifteen
years ago
I
made a solemn vow
That
I would always remember
That
day is etched
Imagines
seared
Permanently
in my mind
The
horror of planes
Filled
with precious human souls
Lives
extinguished in an instant
What
kind of person would do this
Intentionally
crash a plane into a building
That’s
the day, I left naïve behind
Oh
the living hell they must have endured
Above
the points of impact, now left to choose
Do
I jump or die in this inferno
Desperate
phone calls and messages went out
Pleas
for help that would never reach them
Love
proclaimed by voices that would soon be silenced
Firemen
and police officers
Dedicated
to serve and protect
Answered
the call that day and laid down their lives
110
story skyscrapers don’t collapse!
Not
just one, but two towers came down that day
Dust
clouds chasing those who miraculously survived
Unthinkable
evil struck again
Another
plane filled with precious human souls
Used
as a missile, plowed headlong into the Pentagon
Lives
extinguished
Devastating
injuries
Wounds,
far deeper, scared the souls of those who survived
The
war against evil began that day
It
started on United 93
Courageous,
heroic passengers said, “No! We’re
taking it back.”
On
that day it didn’t matter
Black,
White, Asian, Hispanic, Native American
We
were all one…Americans United
Can
it really be
There’s
a generation that wasn’t alive
Or
those who don’t remember that fateful day
There
isn’t a day that goes by
When
I don’t remember
Recall
afresh the horror of that day
It
may be a plane overhead
A
tall building on the horizon
A
police officer or firefighter passing by
An
American flag flying in the breeze
Saying
the Pledge of Allegiance
Singing
“Oh, say, can you see” evokes tears
To
those whose lives were extinguished
Those
who lost family or friends
I
vow to always remember
by
Susan Wachtel
September
11, 2016
