Hallowed Day

As I pulled out of the garage this morning to take Ashtyn to school, I was caught off guard by the flag in our yard that the Scouts put out on holidays/special dates. I thought to myself "what holiday is today?" Then I realized it is September 11, and my mind instantly went into reflective mode. I remember hearing the horrifying news of that dreadful day 7 years ago. I was sitting in my Creative Writing class at BYU-Idaho when they announced it, and then I went to the MC and watched it happening on TV the rest of the day. I remember watching the news whenever I could for the next two weeks feeling the heartache for those involved and shedding tears for the victims and their families. I remember being hopeful after a few days when they still were rescuing people from the rubble, and then feeling the hope slowly burn out as it became too long for anyone to survive. This tragedy hit me to the core, and I will never understand how anyone could do this to another country (I have never really understood war or acts of terrorism). I will also never forget the courage and patriotism that arose during this tragedy and am thankful for all the service men who sacrificed their lives to help.

It just so happened that I had a poetry assignment in my creative writing class that same week. I chose to write about the attack on the Trade Centers, and this is what I came up with just two days after it happened. (By the way, our poem could not rhyme, and we had to use illiteration in the first line. I can only write poems that rhyme, so this was a struggle for me!)

BROKEN PIECES
(In response to the terrorism attack on the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2001.)

Cutting through the clouds with calmness
the passenger jets slice the sky.
The silent sun has already risen,
giving reason for another beautiful day.

But an unknown evil is lurking in the midst
with a destructive design on their minds.
Heading toward the heart of the nation,
the innocent people as their bomb.

A shining skyline is abruptly changed
as swarms of smoke fill the air.
Two great giants come crashing down,
and America is left standing in awe.

Our lives, our families, our nation
has been suddenly shattered apart,
broken pieces amidst the chaos and destruction
that can never again be glued together.

A mastermind plan has been carried out
with no second thought of pain or guilt.
The message is sent, a war is waged,
and the fight is about to begin.

Who are these beasts with hearts so hollow,
not shadowed by shame or thought?
Death and bloodshed upon their hands
only fuels their flasks of hatred.

They think their action has destroyed us,
that the damage done is beyond repair.
But the human heart can be broken
and time after time, still go on beating.

Now our hearts beat together
as a whole nation for one cause.
Hand-in-hand we are unified,
to pick up the pieces and rise again.