One Year Later

One year later, what have we learned?
What lessons has time taught us?
Has life been forever changed
Or have we simply returned to our old lives?
That would be the easy choice
But it would dishonor the many thousands gone

One year later, I still remember the day vividly
I sat trying to eat breakfast and watch tv
But soon I was watching in horror and disbelief
A plane flown into a building and a fireball from beyond
Even the reporters were stunned into silence
That is a site that I can never ever forget

One year later, the time has flown so very fast
I saw the Tower's final demise and the Pentagon burn
I saw people jump rather than face the fire
Others called their loved ones from the doomed planes
One group sacrificed themselves to save who knows how many
"Let's roll" became the new battle cry

One year later, police and fire fighters have a freshly earned respect
New York's finest gave new meaning to the words protect and serve
Her fire fighters did their duty with a valor few could imagine
Hundreds of them lost just trying to do a job they loved
For those left behind, countless nightmares and too many funerals
Now dozens of new babies prove that life does go on

One year later, I found the Twin Towers in a vacation picture
A grim and eerie reminder of what once dominated the skyline
Now the rubble and wreckage is long gone, what remains is hallowed ground
The final resting place for thousands that were never found
I can only imagine that final closure is impossible for the families
The first innocent casualties of an act of cowardice from a madman

One year later, we are a nation at war
But more important, we are united as never before
We have learned a few new lessons
We have a greater appreciation of life and just being
We are not the ultimate invincible nation like we thought
But you cannot hold us down or break our spirits

One year later, justice is a matter of time
A few radicals caught us unaware once
But vigilance will stop its repeat
Patience is not our virtue, but new habits can be learned
America has the memory of an elephant
With so many lost, we can never forget

One year later, there is a new date of infamy
9/11 is forever etched in our minds
The images and loss will always haunt us
It can't happen here, but we learned that it could
Sometimes it takes a 2 X 4 to get the point
But you got our undivided attention
One year later, you have it still

One year later, the eyes of the world watch us.
New York, Washington, Pennsylvania
One year ago, America the Beautiful burned
And a madman laughed with glee
One year later, we have rebuilt our country and our lives
This is a day to remember the past and honor the future
One year later, we know we will never ever forget