A Year Ago

Below is the poem I wrote on September 10, 2002, it was my way of reflecting on the events of September 11 and following.

A Year Ago

A night unlike any other
The lines of TV drama, and reality blurred
From Bartlett to Bush, in a second
The breaking news vague, smoke on a tower

God is our strength and Refuge,
Our rock, as our world falls

Transfixed, staring at the screen
Unsure were we had left drama, and entered reality
Then news of a crash
Smoke at the Pentagon.
Was Barlett or Bush under attack?

God is our strength and Refuge,
Our rock, as our world falls

Disbelief, gives way to shock,
Shock to anger, and anger to fear,
Transfixed, the cloud of smoke surges,
a building collapses before our eyes

God is our strength and Refuge,
Our rock, as our world falls

A year on, bombs from “freedom” fallen
Other innocents died, the lesson unlearnt
Our world changed, changed terribly.
Safety, became vulnerability
The conflict brought to us, as borders fall.

God is our strength and Refuge,
Our rock, as our world falls

As the conflict engulfing the world
Touches us too close to home
A glimpse of how the rest live
Our isolation removed,
So we exclaim with blind eyes and hearts
Our world has changed.

Light a candle, say a prayer, our hope begins in you
Learn the lessons of the past.

September 10, 2002.