Eight years later

Friday, September 11, 2009

Eight years ago today, I watched the most horrific thing I've ever seen on live TV.
Eight years ago today, as planes kept falling from the sky,
I thought, This is the beginning of the end of my country.
Eight years ago today, I cried as thousands of people lost thier lives in a sensesless act of agression.
Eight years ago today, we realized that we are as vulnerable as any other people.
Eight years ago today, my first reaction were thoughts of hatred and vengeance.
Eight years ago today, we vowed to unite as a nation.
Eight years ago we went to fight for a common cause.

Today, eight years later, thousands more have died.
Eight years later, more mothers have cried.
Eight years later, our enemies laugh at us still.
Eight years later we've lost our direction.
Eight years later, death still rains down from the sky
in another land;
Death by our hand,
-and injustice
-and torture
-and hatred.
Eight years later, we have forgotten who we are,
who the enemy is,
what we stand for
and the good reasons to fight and die
if there be any.
Eight years later, we're just going through the motions.
Eight years later, although so many more are lost
We have not found security, unity, peace.

Eight years from now
can't be foreseen.
But the definition of insanity is said to be
repeating the same action and
expecting a different result.

Peace, everyone

---John