Lest We Forget...

I wrote this poem on September 14th, 2001. I've posted it somewhere online every year since.
~NANCY

They Did Not Die In Vain

All humanity sighed

As souls left the earth

Lives taken swiftly

Unjustly so

They died not in vain

For tears and remorse

Wash clean the blood

On the crumpled edifices

Of steel and concrete

That makes civilization grand

But buildings do not define us

Within we are human

Warm and alive

Full of stories

Martyrs they became, oh yes

But so much more

Every last one

A living testament

To faith

Hope

Pride

Charity

Accomplishment

And the greatest force on earth

Love

We watched in horror

Over and over again

As the events were replayed

And reactions were given

Stunned looks

Terror in the streets

Angry oaths

Silent sobs

Open weeping

Our brethren were stoic

Or they cried and pleaded

They were dead heroes or victims

But they were all alive

Just moments before

Without any foreknowledge

Of their place in history

Etched on our minds

Engraved on our hearts

For eternity

I wept with them

The ones who died

The living left behind

The shattered hopes and dreams

Like the rubble in the streets

Made us all stop and think

That could be me!

I watched stunned

And vowed as did others

We will overcome this

We are one people

We are humane and caring

This cannot be!

Who dares challenge that right?

To live free and open lives

To send fear into our hearts

And sorrow of the most profound

For after all is said and done

Nevermore will we trust

With the heart of innocents

That we are safe and protected

In this womb of our building

In this fortress of our sovereignty

Will the swords of justice

Smite down the aggressors

And bring us peace and redress?

Or just a sense of revenge

I do not know

But I do know this

They died not in vain

Who gave their lives for freedom

And to help their fellow man

For as the tragedy struck

And lives hung in the balance

Or were snuffed out

I saw birds rise from the buildings

Sun on their wings

Angels of nature

Reminding me that there is a better place

Where there is no grief or pain

And no thoughts of war

May they live there forever

Those poor wretched souls

Till we join them again

And amid all the rubble

The twisted beams of steel and concrete

The dust and the fires

Papers fluttered to earth

A poignant reminder

We once lived and worked here

Do not forget us

We live on in your hearts

Forevermore

We did not die in vain

If the world becomes a better place

Because we once showed you

How to care about your brethren

And to value all you have

No matter how small it is

Or how rude and humble

Life is a gift