Photo via Times Union
Ashes, ashes, the impenetrable fell down
10 years pass and yet still I see
Images forever emblazoned and haunting
Now-hazy newscasts, huddled in living rooms, the college dining hall, wherever a TV could be found
Waiting in long lines at the gas pump that day
Because even then, oil mattered
But we sat in our cars, exchanged solemn nods, and stayed mostly patient
We were not as safe as we thought
Not New York or DC or a field in Pennsylvania
Not even my simple college town
(supposedly the third most likely place to be targeted)
Thanks to its Armory just miles away
Candle lightings and unity sobered our days
Turning into declarations of country pride and us vs. them
God bless our troops, yes
But God bless the civillians over there too
War sat uneasily, turning lives upside down
Of soldiers deployed and families waiting and those who never returned
I'm not innocent here
I go about my days without thoughts of terrorism and hate
Except when the newspaper features a man in military dress and a dash between his years
And I breathe a silent prayer
Or when someone protests a mosque being built
And I remember how united we stood and wonder where it went
I want to be part of the solution
Not just one more voice
Today we collectively recall
Where we were, where we are, and where we're headed
America the proud, the beautiful, the brave
We are more than this melting pot of freedoms
Though this is not the United States of Perfection
Together we find healing and hope
Today I pray for peace and for comfort
I will always remember
I will never forget
Incidentally, if you live in Middle Tennessee, a small interfaith candlelight vigil will be held at the Islamic Center in Murfreesboro at 6 pm. More information here. If time allows, I'm hoping to go.
