SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 VICTIMS This site is dedicated to the victims of September 11, 2001 tragedy.

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DO YOU REMEMBER???

By: Karla Dorman

I felt so many emotions the day of the attack and for days afterwards; these words came to me, and I wrote them down as if a family member was going to confront those that did this to their loved ones--the unanswered questions, the anger, the anguish.

Do you remember the eleventh of September

your terror made us cry--thousands missing, thousands

died--

many hurting, in pain--will they be "normal" again?

nightmares we can't erase, nightmares are

commonplace--

we feel lost & alone--if they suffered it's not

known--

the world trade center attacked by airplanes YOU

hijacked--

the towers are ablaze, the air filled with smoke and

haze--

people jump--do they stay? or is it better this way???

what horrors incurred as the ground rushed up in a

blur?

answer this, our request: given a choice, WHAT WAS

BEST???

where was their peace of mind? to do this was so

unkind--

our police and firemen, how we should honor them--

rescue and medical teams responded to our screams--

knowing the risk & danger, they helped complete

strangers--

saving lives their only goal, they served a vital

role--

but the twin towers fell--the last moments were pure

hell--

at the pentagon in D.C., death and misery--

in a Pennsylvania field, more lives lost (it's

unreal)--

why are you filled with hate against the united

states?

you worked here lived here, FREE, in the land of

liberty--

where you had a better life, without terror & strife--

what you've done makes us sad, and your terror makes

us mad--

you'll be punished for your crime, when caught, you

WILL do time--

but we pray for your soul, for your people as a

whole--

we can forgive you, yet--it will be hard to forget--

the eleventh of September--DO YOU REMEMBER???

This second poem was written in fragmented form...as thoughts crossed my mind, I wrote them down. We all thought one or more of these as the tragedy of September 11 happened... I know I did.

the day begins/sun rises clear cool crisp nip in the

air perfect fall morning leaves beginning to change

beautiful morning in NYC great day to be alive/alarm

clocks ring buzz chirp good morning! rise and shine!!

people awaken/normal routine exercise bathe shower get

dressed get the kids ready eat breakfast drink coffee

juice milk coke gotta get the blood flowin'! let the

dog cat out read the paper mail magazine check e-mail

schedule let the dog cat back in feed them watch the

news nothin' much happenin' pay bills mail letters/say

goodbye drive carpool walk take a taxi bus subway to

work airport drop the kids off at school daycare

babysitter's/a normal Tuesday morning September 11

2001---

suddenly/events unfold rapidly horribly/WTC north

tower accident what the hell/NEWS BULLETIN plane crash

planes fly around buildings all the time terrible

tragedy omigod another plane crashes deliberately runs

slams into tears knifes through south tower WTC damn

shit we're under attack no way man, not here BUT IT IS HERE/fireball smoke debris pieces of paper looks like confetti pieces of building look people jumping falling falling can't watch/survivors wounded bleeding burned in shock/firefighters police men and women ems enter the towers look for survivors how many inside injured dead NO WAY TO KNOW/south tower suddenly falls collapses pancakes dust ash looks like volcanic cloud erupting panic running screaming/trapped inside fire crews police ems men women family members loved ones husbands wives sons daughters friends co-workers neighbors/pentagon hit another plane crash more smoke fire evacuations fear where is the president/north tower falls dust plume running skies dark where am I can't see/airplane crash near Pittsburgh reports of hijacking struggle between captors passengers heroic efforts save white house all lost on board/all domestic flights grounded stranding millions/phones don't work overloaded/families panicking looking for loved ones where are they are they alive have you seen them are they injured did they suffer are they dead tears hugs grief/watch the news nothing else on all channels images shown over and over and over and over and over again searing into our hearts and minds the stuff of nightmares/questions whose responsible unimaginable incomprehensible reprehensible don't understand/prayers incredible sadness shock horror/we're all affected in some way. GOD BLESS AMERICA. :(

Karla Dorman

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