Fevered Mind

A poem by Sydney Stone. I do not own the image.

***

Grey Towers Standing,

Against a bright, blue sky. How-

Could we have known then?

***

Dedicated to the 2,977 victims of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Centers. Full list of the fallen here.

Where were you that day? I remember arriving at school, early as ever. My mother was an educator there, and so arriving well before the first bell rang was the norm for myself and my brother. I remember walking into the cafeteria where the “before school” program was held. I remember the woman who served breakfast to all the students whose parents needed to be at work before the school day started running up to my mother and telling her of the first plane striking the North Tower. For the rest of that day each class stayed in their “Home Room” classroom and watched the news as the tragedy and horror unfolded. Being so young, I recall my friends and I not fully grasping what was happening, only knowing that it was dire. And so we sat obediently, eyes glued to the box television they had wheeled to the forefront, as around us the adults held each other and wept. Later, my mother would equate it to watching the coverage of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy when she was young. I was too young to fully grasp it then, but I do now, and strive to never forget those who died that day.