The Twin Towers were identifiable monuments
Standing strong and tall
As landmarks across New York City skyline
Recognized around the world
Until one fateful day in 2001
When terrorists armed in planes
Used bombs to topple them
Causing havoc
Horrible loss of thousands of lives
And unmeasureable pain.
The whole world was cloaked in terrible shock
As images hit the airwaves
Of crumbling concrete, shattered glass.
Billowing clouds of smoke
And desperate people fleeing flames
Some trapped on collapsing floors.
They spewed from buildings 1 and 2
Confused, uncomprehending in total disarray.
Children hovered around adults
In schools and at home
Wives, mothers, husbands, brothers
Sisters, friends, cousins and neighbors
Never to return to the safety of home.
Leaving gaping holes and empty spaces
In the lives of those left behind.
No one believed that terrorism
Would reach these once impregnable shores
But incensed fanatics
With wanton disregard for life
Planned, plotted and executed
Their cowardly, deadly deed.
We were all shell shocked and held spellbound
A captive audience to this travesty-
This senseless loss of American security.
But in the aftermath
We were propelled to action swift
As firemen, police, guards, emergency personnel,
Friends and coworkers too
Set about performing daring rescues.
Covered in dust, grime and soot.
With torn clothes, bloodied hands and faces
They managed to haul survivors from out of the wreckage.
For days the rescuers toiled,
Sifting and sorting,
Salvaging what they could.
Hoarse voiced and teary eyed politicians
Vowed that never again
This Nation would be caught unprepared
For such a rape of its landscape.
As the tenth anniversary looms near
We stiffen our backs and stand tall
As new monuments rise like phoenixes
From the rubble at Ground Zero.
Homage will be paid to all those who lost their lives
Family members and friends left behind
Will remember what transpired a decade ago
That caused such terrible pain
And their loved ones whom they will never see again
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