Ten Years After

I wrote this three years after 9/11/01.  Now that the 10th "anniversary" is here, the message needs to be reinforced.

One night

My eyes saw the glory

Of the memory

Of what was once commerce

And prosperity.

It was protected

By gates,

Chain-linked and accessible

To tears and air

Huffing from mourners

And visitors.

My head was weakened by images

Only an outdated television set could portray.

Pardonnez mon français,

But déjà vu

Made a bon voyage

Through my brain.

It took a scenic route

Through the ancient grounds

Of Jerusalem,

Namely the Western Wall,

The only reminder

Of what was once

A fortress of faith.

At both locations,

We do cry,

But when one monument collapsed,

It was not just the people who died.

The souls

Of those still alive

Turned bitter and black.

Humans killed off part of their souls that day.

A day

Originally intended

To be a day like any other.

What should be a day of remembrance

Now represents the retirement of reason,

Only to be replaced by racism.

Materialism mated with the masses

To form pseudo-badasses

On radio and screen.

All of this emanates

From the horrific explosion.

9/11

Two numbers

Three digits

Replacing the identities of the towers.

Reduced to emergency

Torn apart diagonally.

Now the earth is bare.

Ground Zero.

Abuse of life.

Materials.

Values.

Ethics.

On this day,

I mourn for more than people.

On this day,

I mourn for humanity

While men play chess in the background.

Our souls are in check.

Diplomacy fails to mate.

This bullshit is getting stale.