september memories....

an ode to those who perished both physically and mentally on 9-11...

we all became new yorkers that day

we all became neighbors

we all became americans

we pulled together amidst the chaos

the smoke and dust left a bitter taste

glued to our idiot boxes like addicts

watching them fall

over and over and over and over

again

out in a field

the blood of 32 cries out

they fought the good fight

true sacrifice from heroes

we'll never meet

more than a tear left me that day

watching my country panic

watching people i didn't know

jump from burning wreckage

i had bought breakfast at hardee's

that day

traveling along the countryside home

eating and almost choking

on a breakfast sandwich

as the DJ announced someone had flown

a plane into the World Trade Center

and when i got home

i turned on CNN

 

and there were some channels

that still had on infomercials

people were dying

and TV was trying to sell me

cookware

my in-laws didn't believe me

and they watched

and for the next few days

i didn't want to do anything

but go to New York City

I wanted to help

I wanted to heal

so twice i went

officially and on my own terms

the latter

a hole, still smoldering

a quiet spot

the silence sad...

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Michael of Gilead]

The cold death of more than just the victims lay burning that day...

I think you've done a wonderful write here Brad...the contrasts between what was happening and normal life...as sureal as it gets or i've ever seen

thought i was passed this but recent events i think have stirred things for me...the other night i saw the lights, they shined up through a cloud....

[JelliFyshKissUs]

I don't believe there is anyone who cannot relate to this heartfelt write. The sudden helpless feeling made us all unified children wondering why and longing for comfort. And now the boundary lines have returned in our hearts. Thank you for reminding us.

[Lachenille Papillion]

I was at work that day at a precious metal factory. I remember a coworker coming in from break and telling us what happened. No one could comprehend it, then the manager wheeled in the TV we used for watching safety movies and we sat all as one nation watching the disbelieving horror over and over and over. I will never forget that feeling of helplessness, and anger so vivid I will always regurgitate the after taste.

[...]

. i was in an instant messaging window ... with a very special friend i've known since the fourth grade ... and she was just a few miles away from the twin towers ... when it happened ... within minutes the connection went and i heard from her again only after days though i knew through her family in india that she was fine ... i couldn't sleep for the longest time as i had been to the twin towers a few years before that ... the world wept for new york ... and today ... even so many years later ... those sights and sounds resound ... it's a biting silent sadness ... cold, lethal and brutal ...

[Jonathan De Elvira]

*sigh*....man, this writing would even exhaust me more if I read it after work...lol...
good stuff...lol

[Ruth]

A great tribute too love!
A vastness of surreal actions, a open debate! A great poem that unleashes a lot of unique angles to that day:)
Wonderful love
xx

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

~sigh~

[D.R. Wilsey Jr.]

There is some potential here but I think it's glossed over rather passively. However, lines like:

"people were dying

and TV was trying to sell me

cookware"

I thought that was the most shining part of this piece. It shows the utter disconnect from reality that many people, not just in this country, have. And, 9/11 served as a big smack of world reality for Americans.

In my opinion, I'd work on this.

[.]

I am British and I remember that day vividly to..it's one of those events that will be forever burned into your memory, it was very surreal watching it unfold infront of our eyes..rip to all those innocent people..