Where were you when the world stood still?
In that moment the world became changed
With an imprint of terror
Forged forever in fire
When destruction fell down like fall rain?
Were you drinking your coffee?
Were you driving to work?
Were you rocking your babe close to your heart?
Were you humming a song?
Were you righting a wrong?
Were you ironing your favorite shirt?
Where were you when the world broke in
disrupting your everyday plans
and disturbing the notion
that safety and peace
were the inalienable rights of all man…
Were you calling your Mother?
Were you taking a bath?
Were you going through the motions of your day?
Were you baking a cake?
Were you planning a break up
and trying to find the right words to say?
Where were you when the message came
That nothing in life is for sure?
And all we get is each moment with no guarantees
of tomorrow, next week or next year…
Are you speaking a kind word?
Are you doing your part
to comfort and never cause pain?
Remember those moments
With your head and your heart
So the terror did not happen in vain…
Remember the message, remember the date
Remember nothing in life is for sure
for all we get is each moment with no guarantees
of tomorrow, next week or next year…
I am not a poet, but I remember.
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54 comments:
My husband and I will never forget what happened on this terrible day. I actually was awoken by him at about 10pm. He was watching the late night news and at first we thought it was a hoax of some kind...what a terrible terrible day....I have been thinking of all of the families and friends who lost loved ones. Lest we forget.
Blessings,
Natasha.
I heard it from the priest at 11 am mass that day . I guess it happened when I was getting ready to go to Church .
None of us will ever forget...
My husband (then boyfriend) both worked third shift. My sister in law called me, then I called him, and we talked three-way, and watched it all happen.
I like your poem very much. And I really liked the sentence about not letting the terror happen in vain.
Great reminders....cherish each moment, savor them....
My husband (then boyfriend) both worked third shift. My sister in law called me, then I called him, and we talked three-way, and watched it all happen.
I like your poem very much. And I really liked the sentence about not letting the terror happen in vain.
Great reminders....cherish each moment, savor them....
I was teaching a high school class and I will never forget the look of fear on the faces of those kids. I loved how united we felt after the tragedy. My prayer is that we could all "do our part" .
I was at home.
I shared my thoughts of the tragedy as a Malaysian in my post today.
God Bless America!
It is still so unbelievable. Just 2 days later on 9/13 we had just returned to work and a distracted driver hit my sister leaving her with permanent disabilities. We still believe that the driver's distraction was related to the events from days before. The guy was adjusting his radio....
We watched what happened and will never forget but the events as result of what happened never made the news.
Our lives were changed forever.
I was sitting at my desk listening to the Today Show on a radio! When I heard what had happened, we all went in search of a TV and watched in horror! I will never forget that moment, the words that were said and the sights and sounds! Horrible day and I will NEVER FORGET those who lost their lives and their family members who lost so much!
Have a blessed day my friend! HUGS!
I remember being glued to the TV and watching the horror over and over.
What a wonderful poem Jenny, with an even more wonderful message.
Where was I? just starting another day, the usual way with all the usual expectations for it. All was washed away in seconds.
What a wonderful poem Jenny, with an even more wonderful message.
Where was I? just starting another day, the usual way with all the usual expectations for it. All was washed away in seconds.
Eloquently put.
This was beautifully written Jenny. The day is really a blur, I was at work when DH called to tell me what had happened. The thing I remember most is the fear on Cait's face. I imagine that's how my grandparents felt after Pearl Harbor - complete and utter disbelief.
So well written. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was a teacher in northern Virginia and our school day had just begun when panic broke out. My husband and father worked in DC and all the phone lines were busy or down. A tragic day full of worry, grief, and anger. I didn't hear from my hubby until 7pm that night and since he worked near the pentagon, worry was at an all time high.
Jenny, what a super message. I was watching it live on t.v. on GMA. I will never ever forget Charles Gibson's and Diane Sawyer's astonishment as to what was going on. What a sad sad day.
As I said in my post today, it started out as a beautiful Tuesday morning and ended up as anything but that. I was at work that day, and my husband didn't work very far from the Pentagon and would see it on his way home...Very sad day...
Wonderful post! I was sitting right here in my bedroom getting ready for work. It was as though time stood still. I called my son who works for Channel 15 and I didn't see him till about four days later. It was 24 hour work at the station. I felt so bad that the station people had to work through such a huge thing. But not as bad as for those many people in NY going through this. It's still incredible to me.
:)
I was ironing my husband's shirt and he was watching stock news. Our older son called and said; "Turn on the tv, the World Trade Center has been hit by a plane!" We switched channels and saw the second plane, approach and circle back, and hit the second tower.
May we never forget!
Thank you for posting such a beautiful and eloquent tribute and message of hope.
I was on my way to work at a preschool. We all gathered around before the children arrived. We agreed that no one would speak of it during the school hours as we were mindful of keeping the horror and fear from the kids. It was a very difficult morning.
"And all we get is each moment with no guarantees
of tomorrow, next week or next year…"
You've done a beautiful job of sharing the heart of this day of remembrance.
Me too...I'll never forget. No one knows from one heart beat to the next what is going to happen and 9/11 certainly reminded us of that fact.
Me too...I'll never forget. No one knows from one heart beat to the next what is going to happen and 9/11 certainly reminded us of that fact.
Pregnant with my fourth child. Getting the other kids ready for school. Hunky Hubby called from work and said I needed to turn on the television. They had live coverage going and I tuned in right before the second tower fell. Surreal.
I remember like it was yesterday. I can't believe it has been 9 years. Oh how I love this country and want us to get back to standing up for what is right instead of fighting amongst ourselves. It is a somber day and I need those images on tv to remind me of what has happened and how we can work together as a country to be great again.
Wow, what a great poem!
I was in Washington D.C. on a business trip on 9/11. I found out about the attacks while in a cab on my way to meet with an official from U.S. Customs (ironically, I was studying border security issues at the time). The reports of the Pentagon being on fire came right as we arrived to our destination. We saw the horrible smoke as soon as we got out of the cab. I blogged about all this at my site today!
I was getting my oldest ready for Preschool. I remember just staring in unbelief as I came to the awful realization that my country was under attack. Things like didn't happen anymore. It was in history books, not in my time.
At the time, we lived in military housing. It was on a closed non-functioning base, but there was a sign that said: Coast Guard Housing. The sign was quickly removed. The base my husband was working on was on the highest alert. If you didn't have ID and a sticker on your car you did not get on post.
It was such a horrible day. Thank you, Jenny for your poem. It was beautiful.
Beautiful words Jenny! I was at work and we heard and really the earth stood still!!
Thank you for the poem Jenny! We need to remember and honor those that were lost as a result of this horrible atrocity and love and comfort the families and loved ones left behind to endure the pain.~Ames
I was at work, teaching, I came in to the staffroom after class and a whole group of people were talking in horror about what had happened. Only yesterday, I was talking with someone whose parents had eaten lunch at the top of one of the towers the day before they were hit.
Just beautiful, Jenny. You said it all.
And I remember.
beautiful words. I completely agree. I do remember. I was in a sixth grade history class.
my post is here if you want to read-
http://shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com/2010/09/911-remembrance-leave-your-link.html
I was home watching the Today Show, it'll will be etched in my mind forever. God Bless America!
Ms. Jenny...you must go look at my post, the picture and the title. We really are alike. You may not think you are a poet...but this was poetry.
I was at home. Hubby turned on the TV to see the weather and that is when we found out. I will never forget that day. Hugs
I was in my den watching good morning america when they began to report a plane had hit the twin tower...I called my husband into the den and a few seconds later the second plane hit and then the reports of the pentagon and the other plane crash...it was a horrible day and I was emotionally numb and it seems like it was only yesterday.:..(
Just beautifully said...this made me feel ....deeply...!!...
I was driving and had no idea it was going on...till I got home and turned on the news...Then I could not believe my eyes...and started phoning people.....
I was at work when the unthinkable occurred. Your poem is beautiful, Jenny. La
I was reading a story to my pre-k class and our secretary came in a whispered in my ear that planes had crashed into the world trade center......I had to continue reading my story and act as if nothing had happened. It was one of the longest days of my teaching career. Hubby was at school as well and I only wanted to call him and hear his voice!Q
i was in 5th grade, and i thought war and terrorism was a thing of the past. i got checked out of school just like the rest of my classmates and when i got home, we returned just in time to see the buildings completely collapse on the live stream on tv...
it was so scary, i could barely fathom it or the magnitude of what had happened that day...
We were in the midst of it all that day Jenny. My husband worked in WTC building 7, my daughter was in NYU, my son was in Washington DC just 6 blocks from the White House. It was a very scary time as the phones were jammed and we could not check on each other for hours. Thankfully our families were all OK but we lost friends, neighbors, business associates.
We cried as each name was read at ground zero this morning.
I was in a room full of first graders on that tragic day!!
I was at home with one child who had stayed home sick from school that day. I remember thinking I need to go get the other one as we were sitting there watching the news as it unfolded live before my very eyes. Sadly, I also knew in my heart from the minute the first reports came of the hit on the towers that it would not be all there was to come that morning. Having been a corporate travel agent back before I had children I knew these types of things don't just happen and this was no accident I was watching. It was such a scary and surreal feeling that I don't ever want to experience again!
I remember too...my little mom was suffering and dying so 911 was already happening in my heart. The whole time was just devastating for our nation. I took it personal, I think a lot of us did.
Love your post.
I was with my daughter Tati micromanaging her kindergarden photoshoot. I came home and my husband was yelling on the phone. I couldn't imagine why. My sister had called and figured we weren't listening to the news, which we weren't. Jenny, your poem was great. Joni
I was at work, since retired. It's a barber shop, I'm a barber and we had CNN on all the time for the clients so we saw it right from the beginning.
I will never forget...
good job Jenny.....
Have to disagree with you Jenny, you are most definitely a poet. I always think simple, heartfelt poetry that can evoke great emotion is the very best and you did that right here.
I remember that day so vividly, I was at work in Ireland, mid-afternoon our time in a meeting when someone ran in with a face as white as a sheet and told us she had just seen something on her computer about the first tower being hit. We turned on the conference room TV and watched in horror. Then I remembered that my parents were on a cruise ship that had taken them that very day to NY City. In all the mayhem it took 24 hours to get confirmation that they were safe. I cannot imagine what all those less fortunate families went through that day. The image of people falling from atop those buildings is burned into my memory.
Your right Jenny - we will always remember this day. And we should. sandie
Where was I? I was at work. I worked in the evenings as a telemarketing caller. (Four o'clock in the afternoon in Sweden is ten o'clock in in the morning in New York City.) One of the people whom I called told me about it.
There was nothing else to do but to continue working until my skift was done. Then I went home and saw what it looked like on TV.
You have written a beautiful poem, Jenny. And you are a poet!
Best wishes & hugs,
Anna
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