Rememberance

Ten years ago, before I had a blog, I had a simple webpage that I made from scratch (because I'd just taken an HTML class). I posted my poetry. I had no followers or regular readers. So basically a lot like this blog. :P

After September 11, 2001, I was glad to have a place to freely express my grief & horror. Today, I am grateful to have this blog to do so again. Since last night's announcement, I've had a hard knot in my stomach. Like a rock weighing my whole body down. I'd thought it was dread or fear of the coming repercussions. While I am feeling both of those things, I think it was mostly an inability to express how I was feeling. And not just because I couldn't find the right words, but also for fear of being verbally attacked for my point of view.

Anyone that knows me can tell you that I'm probably the least political person they know. I just cannot wrap my head around the amount of name-calling, mud-slinging, & hate-mongering that goes on. Despite a high IQ, it's a concept that I just cannot grasp.

Since I got home from work, I've been reading a few posts on Facebook & a few of my favorite blogs. I now know that what I really want to do is remember & honor the people we lost in 9/11. I cannot bring myself to celebrate the death of anyone, even a madman. It's just not in my nature.

So I posted this quote from a well-spoken man that I greatly admire as my Facebook status: "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" — Martin Luther King Jr

Then I found my spirits lifted by two of my fellow members of the DOC (Diabetes Online Community). Kelly over at Diabetesaliciousness wrote this Today and made me realize what I really wanted & needed to do today. And Simon from the 70's made me even more proud to be an American with his Lest We Forget post. Thanks to both wonderful authors for always writing from their hearts.

Now for my less eloquent words. Mere days after 9/11, I wrote a poem about how I felt. A year later, I wrote another one. I'm posting both of them here. In a way, they both still ring very much true for me today.



lest we forget

the sound of freedom
as it rings
or the feel of tears
as they fall
or the demand for justice
as it is cried out

we will forever
keep a prayer
in our grieving hearts
for those fallen
sacrificed for our great land
civilian and soldier
young and old
men and women
all without blame
innocents taken
against our country's will
by a monster
made of cowardice
and hatred
evil itself
without conscience
or morals
but destined for defeat

our hearts
will rise
our spirits
will shine
our flags
will be flown
our courage
will be great
and our fight
will be unending

©CLP
09/14/2001




one more year

nothing much has changed
one more year of tears
one more year of fears
that’s a whole lot of nothing

innocents turned heroes
heroes turned victims
free people became prisoners

prisoners of a war we can’t see
prisoners of a war we didn’t start
but is it a war we can win?

nothing much has changed
one more year of terror
one more year of fighting
that’s a whole lot of nothing

hope turned into grief
mourning turned into resolution
a divided world tried to become whole

people around the world
stood beside us in word and spirit
maybe it will last

nothing much has changed
one more year is past
one more year since the last
and that’s a lot more than nothing

©CLP
09/09/2002