Vietnam Veterans Page

Hi all!
Turn your speakers on and read along with Johnny Cash as you listen. I kind of wish this recording would be played occasionally on broadcast radio for some of the young folks to hear. Okay!... here is the link to what I am talking about.

ON THAT CLEAR, CRISP SEPTEMBER MORNING, FIVE YEARS AGO TOMORROW AT 8:46 A. M. EASTERN TIME, TERRORISTS HIJACKED FOUR AMERICAN AIRLINERS IN A COORDINATED, SUICIDAL ATTACK ON AMERICA. WITHIN HOURS, NEARLY 3,000 AMERICANS WERE DEAD, NEW YORK CITY’S TWO TALLEST BUILDINGS WERE GONE, THE PENTAGON WAS RIPPED OPEN AND FORTY-ODD BRAVE AMERICANS ON FLIGHT 93 THWARTED THE HIJACKERS OF THE FOURTH AIRLINER, CAUSING IT TO CRASH IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. A STUNNED AMERICA WATCHED HELPLESSLY – AND FEARFULLY – AS IMAGES OF “GROUND ZERO” IN NEW YORK, THE PENTAGON IN ARLINGTON, VA AND A FARMER’S FIELD NEAR PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA FILLED THEIR TV SCREENS.

IT IS OFTEN SAID, “9/11 CHANGED EVERYTHING”! AS WE COMMEMORATE THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF PATRIOTS DAY, THIS POEM – BROADCAST WIDELY BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR MAY HELP US ALL REMEMBER AND NEVER FORGET!!

TWO THOUSAND ONE, NINE ELEVEN (2001-911)

TWO THOUSAND ONE, NINE ELEVEN
THREE THOUSAND PLUS ARRIVE IN HEAVEN
AS THEY PASS THROUGH THE GATE,
THOUSANDS MORE APPEAR IN WAIT
A BEARDED MAN WITH STOVEPIPE HAT
STEPS FORWARD SAYING, "LETS SIT, LETS CHAT"

THEY SETTLE DOWN IN SEATS OF CLOUDS
A MAN NAMED MARTIN SHOUTS OUT PROUD
"I HAVE A DREAM!" AND ONCE HE DID
THE NEWCOMER SAID, "YOUR DREAM STILL LIVES."

GROUPS OF SOLDIERS IN BLUE AND GRAY
OTHERS IN KHAKI, AND GREEN THEN SAY
"WE'RE FROM BULL RUN, YORKTOWN, THE MAINE"
THE NEWCOMER SAID, "YOU DIED NOT IN VAIN."

FROM A MAN ON STICKS ONE COULD HEAR
"THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO FEAR.
THE NEWCOMER SAID, "WE KNOW THE REST,
TRUST US SIR, WE'VE PASSED THAT TEST."

"COURAGE DOESN'T HIDE IN CAVES
YOU CAN'T BURY FREEDOM, IN A GRAVE,"
THE NEWCOMERS HAD HEARD THIS VOICE BEFORE
A DISTINCT YANKEES TWANG FROM HYANNISPORT SHORES

A SILENCE FELL WITHIN THE MIST
SOMEHOW THE NEWCOMER KNEW THAT THIS
MEANT TIME HAD COME FOR HER TO SAY
WHAT WAS IN THE HEARTS OF THE FIVE THOUSAND PLUS THAT DAY

"BACK ON EARTH, WE WROTE REPORTS,
WATCHED OUR CHILDREN PLAY IN SPORTS
WORKED OUR GARDENS, SANG OUR SONGS
WENT TO CHURCH AND CLIPPED COUPONS
WE SMILED, WE LAUGHED, WE CRIED, WE FOUGHT
UNLIKE YOU, GREAT WE'RE NOT"

THE TALL MAN IN THE STOVEPIPE HAT
STOOD AND SAID, "DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!
LOOK AT YOUR COUNTRY, LOOK AND SEE
YOU DIED FOR FREEDOM, JUST LIKE ME"

THEN, BEFORE THE M ALL APPEARED A SCENE
OF RUBBLED STREETS AND TWISTED BEAMS
DEATH, DESTRUCTION, SMOKE AND DUST
AND PEOPLE WORKING JUST 'CAUSE THEY MUST

HAULING ASH, LIFTING STONES,
KNEE DEEP IN HELL, BUT NOT ALONE
"LOOK! BLACKMAN, WHITEMAN, BROWNMAN, YELLOWMAN
SIDE BY SIDE HELPING THEIR FELLOW MAN!"

SO SAID MARTIN, AS HE WATCHED THE SCENE
"EVEN FROM NIGHTMARES, CAN BE BORN A DREAM."

DOWN BELOW THREE FIREMEN RAISED
THE COLORS HIGH INTO ASHEN HAZE
THE SOLDIERS ABOVE HAD SEEN IT BEFORE
ON IWO JIMA BACK IN '45

THE MAN ON STICKS STUDIED EVERYTHING CLOSELY
THEN SHARED HIS PERCEPTIONS ON WHAT HE SAW MOSTLY
"I SEE PAIN, I SEE TEARS,
I SEE SORROW -- BUT I DON'T SEE FEAR."

"YOU LEFT BEHIND HUSBANDS AND WIVES
DAUGHTERS AND SONS AND SO MANY LIVES
ARE SUFFERING NOW BECAUSE OF THIS WRONG
BUT LOOK VERY CLOSELY. YOU 'RE NOT REALLY GONE.

ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE, EVEN THOSE WHO'VE NEVER MET YOU
ALL OF THEIR LIVES, THEY'LL NEVER FORGET YOU
DON'T YOU SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
DON'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?
YOU'VE BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER, TOGETHER AS ONE.

WITH THAT THE MAN IN THE STOVEPIPE HAT SAID
"TAKE MY HAND," AND FROM THERE HE LED
THREE THOUSAND PLUS HEROES, NEWCOMERS TO HEAVEN
ON THIS DAY, TWO THOUSAND ONE, NINE ELEVEN

AUTHOR UNKNOWN (WHAT A SHAME!)

ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2006, PLEASE WEAR RED, WHITE AND BLUE TO WORK OR SCHOOL TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON 9~11~01 AND TO HONOR THE HEROES WHO WORKED TO SAVE THEM AND THE FAMILIES LEFT BEHIND. AT NOON - YOUR TIME - ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2006, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU ARE DOING, STOP, PUT YOUR HAND ON YOUR HEART, AND SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OUT LOUD OR TO YOURSELF AND SAY A PRAYER FOR OUR NATION.

The poem was written and copyrighted by Paul Spreadbury, and you can find it at http://www.werismyki.com/lyrpo/2001911.html. In his own words Paul explains why he wrote it:

I wrote this three days after the attack in response to my daughter's question regarding what, if any, value was derived from the death of all those people. I have had some folks with degrees in English, published writers and others write back with compliments and editorial suggestions. All are welcome and appreciated. I didn't write it for any reason other than to express my own personal feelings and I posted it in hopes that children (especially those most directly effected) would get some sense that ALL life has value and ALL life contributes to the continuation of the good.

Paul Spreadbury,
York Beach, Maine
Email at : beesboy@earthlink.net

V.V.A. Chapter 602, Erma, NJ

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