Poem of the Month: September

I just realized the other day that it is now September.  Wait, I thought yesterday it was March still?  At any rate, it is high time to post another poem.

In honor of today's anniversary I thought it would be appropriate to post something from an American poet.  This is no obscure piece, but it serves to remind us of our heritage as Americans.

The New Colossus

by Emma Lazarus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles.  From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips.  "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Outside our chapel today were 2,977 American flags in the ground, commemorating those who died today ten years ago.  As I type, I wear a bracelet that says "9/11 Never Forget".  My memories of this day ten years ago are few and vague since I was only 8, but they still remain.  I was sitting at my desk, my mother at the desk in front of me.  She was listening to the radio, as she often did.  My father called just as I heard my mom make some comment about a plane crash.  We went downstairs to the tv just in time to see the plane crash into the second tower.  I remember that shot, of the tower falling, but what disturbed me more was the video, played over and over, of a woman and her daughter crouched behind a car screaming and crying.  The girl was perhaps a teenager; the mother had her arms wrapped around her girl but both were in an agony of fear.  The chaos was behind them, behind the car, but they had no idea what would happen next.

My mother finally pulled us away from the tv screen and we tried to say a Rosary but couldn't focus.  I tried to study but that didn't work either.  I still remember one of my spelling words from that day - "blockbuster".  I didn't know what it meant, so looked it up in the dictionary.  I discovered that one meaning was a type of bomb.  Not exactly the best spelling word for that day!

Since we live in a flight path, at home I hear a lot of planes overhead.  I never told anyone for years, but to this day I don't like to hear planes - especially if the weather or atmosphere causes them to create a different sound than usual.  It still freaks me out.  This is the first time I've ever really sat down and thought about what that day was like - perhaps it is good to remember.

May our Blessed Lady bring peace to all those who have been directly affected by that tragedy of ten years ago.  And may she bless and protect all the men and women who daily give their lives in the service of others - firemen, police, Armed Forces, and all the rest.  God bless America!