And as I jump
I recall our weekend at Bowman Lake
- Tommy at the water’s edge
- Carol-Ann begged him not to fall
- Hickory chips smoking...
Flash of flawless burning light
Upon the wings of death
Way beyond Gramercy...
And as I jump,
I relish the rushing air -
Cooling,
Like that summer in the Dakotas.
Dad behind the wheel of our 74 Buick.
Mom turns and says
“Just wind the window down Mikey.”
Headed for Mount Rushmore...
And as I jump
I itemize what is undone
- Places unvisited
- Words unsaid.
Carol-Ann, you know I always loved you.
Please tell Tommy
Daddy didn't want to die
And I really did try to fly.
A lot of people here in the U.S. have missed the point. They think planting 3000 flags on their lawn is an appropriate way to commemorate the day. It's not just about US, it's about people everywhere. Most of what I am reading that's meaningful - like your thought-provoking poem - is coming from other places in the world. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteLove the poem, Mr Pudding, even though it did make me cry over my breakfast cereal. I was surprised there wasn't more about 9/11 on television yesterday: I have found your posts about it really interesting, thank you.
ReplyDeleteJAN I am so pleased that my 9/11 poem touched you. I crafted it several days ago and it was what my other three posts on 9/11 were leading to. I began with a sort of narrative of the day and then it morphed into this more elusive victim version of events. Who can forget "the jumpers"?
ReplyDeleteDAPHNE I am very pleased that I made you cry into your breakfast cereal as I wanted that poem to connect with readers in such an emotional way. It pleases me greatly that both yourself and Jan have read and absorbed the poem. It makes the effort of writing it feel worthwhile.
I read it and absorbed it also but was too overwhelmed to comment until now. You have captured the jumper's thoughts, I'm sure. He had ten long seconds to fall a quarter of a mile.
ReplyDeleteDozens, hundreds, jumped that day. Police were finding body parts of roofs in the neighborhood, in air conditioning grills, and so forth, as recently as last year.
Daphne, everything on U.S. television yesterday was about 9/11.
on roofs
ReplyDelete