Hey all, its been a while. Long story short: I have been reduced to borrowing internet at McDonalds and such. But, I thought I would take the opportunity to actually post something, even though I don't have anything "new." Well, not technically new.
In May I posted one of my poems that was published in an annual anthology. (Sorry for the repeat "a") However, it was not the only one inspired by 9/11. This one (just below) is actually about my experience of 9/11, both that infamous day and its yearly remembrance. Sorry its so long. It started as some reflection and became a four page ramble.
Oh, and if you want, here's the link for the old one (http://baumann-intheloop.blogspot.com/2012/05/rest-well.html). If the video doesn't work, leave a comment and I'll try to fix it.
One decade older.
Its a new day,
Just after midnight,
In my small town.
Here in the middle of the nation,
The troubles felt on the coasts are nothing but stories on the news;
Distractions from the high school football game,
And things of that nature.
I stay up late,
Finishing a paper due later this morning.
But my mind refuses to focus.
It keeps going back
To that day
A world away.
One decade ago.
That day,
A Tuesday like any other,
Changed everything.
I was in the gym
Of my high school in my small town.
The coach stopped us
And said a prayer.
I didn’t know why.
By the end of the day I found out,
That tragedy had struck.
Three thousand had perished in pointless attacks.
Ten times the number of people at my school,
Gone in an instant.
I remember looking east,
Towards the coast.
The biggest event of my lifetime,
And I could not see it.
I felt detached,
Unimportant,
And blind.
I never paid attention to what was going on
Outside my home town.
But that was one decade ago.
Now I am one decade older.
I strive to know more.
What goes on in the world,
Effects me at home.
Never again
Do I want to find myself unaware of the world around me.
Never again
Do I want to see haunting images,
But feel no emotion,
As if they hold no meaning.
No
That’s not true.
It may have been
One decade ago.
But now
I am one decade older.
And in my search to find the truth
I found the definition of what it means to be
A hero.
Two simple words
Became an empowering battle cry
As those innocent people,
Sentenced to die,
Fought to save others they had never met.
Even now I can’t help but tear up
Thinking about the heroes of Shanksville,
Who gave their lives
One decade ago.
Yesterday
Was the anniversary
Of the attacks.
Ten years ago
Four planes
Hijacked
Brought America momentarily to her knees.
And what did we do?
First, we prayed
We prayed for strength,
For healing,
For unity,
For courage.
Then, we stood up,
Ready to do
What had to be done.
One decade ago.
Yesterday,
Those who died were remembered.
And now I sit here,
One decade older.
I have seen wars,
And natural disasters.
I have grown,
In wisdom and stature.
I have witnessed birth
And death.
I have mourned
And I have celebrated.
Through it all
I have not forgotten that day,
One decade ago.
Nor have I forgotten,
The God who has blessed me
With so many things.
I have never been to New York City.
I never saw the Twin Towers in person.
I do not know anyone who was there that day.
But I have cried with them.
I have shared in their pain,
Their frustration,
Their mourning.
And I have witnessed the impossible.
From the ashes of tragedy,
A nation has risen,
Strengthened and restored.
The eponymous phoenix.
And now this new land,
This new people,
Is one decade older.
And so am I.
So to those of you,
who remember that day,
I ask one thing:
That you never forget.
And to the men and women,
Who selflessly served,
To rescue and recover,
I would like to thank you.
Your nation,
And her people,
Are in your debt.
Finally,
To those who paid,
The ultimate price,
And live on only as memories:
Rest well.
We have not forgotten you.
No matter how many decades pass.
And so here I sit,
Still struggling to get my mind,
Wayward as it is,
Back on the task at hand.
But I cannot help but drift back
To that day
One decade ago.
I stand on that lawn,
Looking east.
No smoke clouds mar the clear sky.
No piles of ash tarnish the streets.
But in my mind,
The image is clear.
A wound,
That few expected to heal.
Looking back,
On a decade of pain,
Turmoil,
And strife,
I realize that our only choice
Was to heal.
And so here we are,
A nation
United under God,
Forged by fire and trial,
Ready,
Willing,
And able,
To take on whatever task is set before us.
A nation
One decade older.
