Image via Flikr Creative CommonsJ. Todd Poling
Today is always a hard day for me, as I’m sure it is for many others who suffered far worse. Every year, I have nightmares, can’t sleep and spend most of every September 11th crying if I stop long enough to think. At first, I wasn’t going to blog, but then I thought back to one of my favorite poems, In Flander’s Fields. Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote the poem after presiding over the funeral of a friend lost in WWI in The Second Battle of Ypres.
I loved the poem so much, I committed it to memory. I was eight years old.
This morning, I couldn’t get the verses out of my head, thus please forgive me. I took some creative liberty with the original poem in hopes of honoring those lost on 9-11. I’m no poet, but maybe this can be a little bit of beauty to help us always remember those so senselessly taken.
In Stonycreek, the flowers blow
as airplanes taxi row on row.
They mark our place; and in the sky
The birds, still singing, bravely fly
Scarce heard amidst the tears below.
We are the Dead; twelve years ago
We loved, and laughed and didn’t know
Evil could rain from up above
And tear us from the ones we loved.
Two towers lost; the Pentagon.
A burning field.
Remember us; let children grow
To honor those who fought the foe.
The light be yours to keep it bright
Remember those who chose to fight
If you forget, we shall not rest
Though flowers blow…
In Stonycreek.
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That’s beautiful, Kristen! It is every bit a poem and some.
I feel the same way. I’ve cried on and off all morning. Thanks for posting the poem.
In times like we feel the pain of what happen that day. But we all need to release that pain. Keep the memories of your lost one, but release the pain and continue your journey in life.
I think you’ve did a good job with this poem. 🙂
a homage to the lives, bravery and courage.
Reblogged this on idealisticrebel and commented:
We will never forget.
Thank you.
<3
Reblogged this on Jessi Gage…A Time to Love and commented:
A heartfelt thank you to Kristen Lamb for a thoughtful reworking of a beautiful poem in remembrance of those lost 12 years ago.
Reblogged this on Live, Love, Laugh, Dance, Pray and commented:
Remember those lost for our freedom today. #NeverForget
That is beautiful. I also struggle to keep my composure today. I don’t think I will ever really recover, but I try to tell myself that my fears give the terrorists victory so I must learn move beyond that. Twelve years and I am still struggling with it. God Bless America.
Great post Kristen, thanks for posting it and your poem is very emotive.
I have the honour to host Alan Jankowski and his poem for the heroes of 9/11 on my blog today and I must say I’ve let a tear, more than one even, today too.
Thank you.
A lovely tribute Kristen. Thank you.
Beautiful. Thank you.
VERY NICE
GREETING(s(from ANDREA
BEAUTIFUL DAY
Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat™.
Beautiful. Well done.
This was day like no other…the memories surge to the surface with just the mention of 9/11.. God bless America!
Nice. Thank you for posting this.
Three posts of mine – Paper Poppies (also uses “In Flanders Fields”) http://suzanawylie.wordpress.com/2013/09/05/paper-poppies-for-ewr/
We Gazed Upon Their Bones (2 poems for 9-11) http://suzanawylie.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/9-11/
Sharisa http://suzanawylie.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/sharisa/
Wow. Beautiful.
Thanks for this gift on such a difficult day!
Beautiful.
Absolutely exquisite.
A moment of silence.
Kristen, this is beautiful. Thank for wonderful words.
Reblogged this on Cynthia Stacey and commented:
Great poem by Kristen Lamb to remember our american friends who lost their lives on 9/11.
Lovely, Kristen. We Aussies shared your horror. Our Prime Minister was visiting with the President on 9/11, and if one of those plane’s had succeeded in crashing into the Pentagon, we would have lost two world leaders that day. Thank God it never happened.
Absolutely beautiful <3
Thanks so much, Kristen.
Thanks for appreciating John McCrae, one of our great Canadians. My heart goes out to you on the anniversary of 9/11. I don’t think any of us will ever forget where we were at 9:06AM. Even here in Ontario, we had friends and family working in Manhattan who were almost at Ground Zero. Very scary time. And it’s changed the world forever. Let’s all do our part to make the future brighter.
Thank you Kristen. 🙂 Lovely tribute for those who should not have died.
Only one word is necessary…BEAUTIFUL!!
Donna L Martin
Beautiful. Thank you.
Kristen – this is beautiful. What a lovely poem and thank you for sharing and tweaking it a little. I think we will all remember what we were doing at the exact moment we heard the news. It is burned into our memories and into our hearts forever.
Thank you! To me these two little words have extraordinary meaning in this instance.
Thank you for this post and for remembering!
Lovely. We will never forget. God bless.
Thank you for the lovely blog. God bless you.
This is nice. I was in 6th grade at the time. Sometimes the fact that I didn’t understand what was going on at the time makes me feel so disconnected today.
This is a very special blog post Kristen – thanks for sharing it!
Beautiful, Kristen.
lovely words
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