A couple more poems written by Utahns in the days after 9/11, submitted to the newspaper I was working for at the time.
Freedom Flight 93
by Crystal Ann Pett
Just like a normal day,
I felt the sun arise me with it’s rays.
And from my heart, I felt such joy to be
-a father of 3-
With little time I rushed to catch my flight,
Oh! how could I have known, natures tender call would take me from this life!
…My pregnant wife
Oh! to hold her just once more and feel her love!
Dear God above…
My life can save so many from this fate,
If it’s not too late,
Oh, please hear me now
Before I take this fatal call;
Send strength to those called after me to fight
FOR FREEDOM’S LIGHT
(CHORUS)
A light that’s shined for us this long
It bares the song
Of those who died to keep this country strong
For generations, their sacrifice has been this countries joy.
And now they call out from the dust to re-employ…
It’s time again to fight
FOR FREEDOM’S LIGHT
(end of chorus)
May our deaths bring out the soldier part
Inside every true American heart
That as this Plane steers down to it’s tragic final blow,
May American resolve with heavens wings aglow
Find justice still in this different war
And rekindle Freedoms flame, each time we see our dear flag soar.
That bravery will abound and courage will take root
And through Liberty’s aim our soldiers will shoot
At the heart of terror till it bleeds it’s last drop
Proving God is on FREEDOM’S side and the American heartbeat can NEVER stop.
Let terror be warned by the down of this flight,
you CANNOT dim our FREEDOM’S LIGHT!
(CHORUS)
For our children, God, please send them peace
As we fight for freedoms heavenly goal
That regardless of race, religion or sex,
Each soul can chose which direction they go
Be with our future generations
To calm their fears and answer their questions
Give them faith to believe
Good will triumph over evil
And courage to keep their dreams alive,
As we fight to pay for Freedom’s bill
Help keep laughter in their song
And heavens promise in their sight
Let this flight go down in victory
To strengthen FREEDOM’S LIGHT
[The designation of “CHORUS” leads me to believe these are song lyrics and not a poem, but the author did not submit music to accompany them, and it would be a strange song indeed that used the verb “re-employ” in its chorus. I would propose singing the lyrics to an already-written, familiar tune, but the fact that each line is a different number of syllables and the stanzas are randomly composed of anywhere from one to 10 lines makes me suspect no such tune exists.]
* * * * *
Our Nation Weeps
by Brandon Heaton
[This note accompanied the poem.] Written on September 11, 2001, the day the World Trade Twin Towers in New York City were attacked by two hijacked airliners and destroyed. This was an act of Terrorism where many thousands of people were killed or injured.
It is a quiet day,
For there is nothing to say.
Our country is in silence
Because of such violence.
So many people
Have lost their lives,
Such as Grandparents, children,
Husbands and wives.
I wonder so deeply
Way down in my heart
Why would those people
Tear families apart?
Why did it happen?
Nobody knows.
Who in this world
Would stoop so low?
We have been attacked
But it did not break our backs.
We will find who did this
And bring them to justice.
Now is the time
To come together.
We must remember
This day forever.
[I appreciate the author’s explanatory note at the beginning. Often, we would receive poems about 9/11, read them, and then go, “What the heck was 9/11?!? Was it some kind of big important day or something??”
Also, note the clever rhyming of “did this” and “justice.” It’s hard to get away with that, but I think he pulled it off.]
