LISA I. HILBERS

PETALS OF PURE WHITE

I felt the need to observe, where so many perished that day,
To pay my respects for the lost, and to bow my head and pray.
As I stood upon the deck, the breeze blew across my face,
A feeling of peaceful bliss, was upon this now hallowed place.
As I think about the horror, and the pain they must have met,
And all the lives that were changed forever, I am numb to all things, except regret.
While my mind heard nothing but silence, my heart heard the angel's harps,
Playing in harmony with God's choir, with voices clear and sharp.
Then I saw a lady, with what appeared to be wings of flight,
Dropping petals of roses, of the color of purest white.
A guardian angel sent by God, to tend the survivor's hearts,
To let them know without a doubt, they and their loved ones would never part.
I was frozen within the moment, amazed with what I'd saw,
But I felt the touch of warmth, in His love for one and all.
I could no longer hold back the tears, so once again I bowed my head,
And thanked Him for reminding me, why His healing blood was shed.
As I turned to walk away, I was filled with a sense of ease,
As though I'd touched the blessed hand of God, and retained and inner peace.
September Eleventh will forever remain a wound of seeping pains,
But only by the love of God, can our fullness of life be regained.

©Copyright January 22, 2003 by Lisa I. Hilbers

THE AFTERMATH

As I set here a year later, thinking of that day,
I wonder about the children, the wives and husbands too.
The Mothers, Brothers and Fathers, Sisters, Cousins and Aunts,
The wedding bands, the necklaces, and the unmated shoes.

I think about the tragedy that fell upon us so hard.
And what our future truly holds, or will it happen again.
Our devastation continues, our nerves they are not strong,
Will America's blood be spent again, like the falling rain?

We'll continue the fight for Freedom, and continue to salute our Flag,
We'll pray each day for our boys, who're fighting this needed war.
Whether we like it or not, each of us has to agree,
We have no idea, what the future holds in store.

The media reports to us daily, another failed attempt,
Another terror alert, on our bridges and our defense.
National Parks and coliseums, and Lady Liberty too,
But we do what Americans do, we use our common sense.

Our hearts broke that horrid day, when we saw our loved ones fall,
Dismayed we were, then fear set in, anger was on the rise.
Some turned to God, others just faced the facts,
While some were spreading the gospel, others were spreading lies.

To say our lives have not changed, would not be true at all,
We were then, and we are now, the Great Land of the Free,
It will take more than a rebellious cave man,
To bring America to it's knees.

©Copyright 2002 by Lisa I. Hilbers

ONE TRUTHFUL TEAR

I remember clearly the unknown fears that entered my mind,
As I set that September day and watched all the horror unwind.
It's been well over a year since it all took place,
And I can still see and feel the pain on so many people's face.

Lives forever changed, a saddened new path to stroll,
As many as three thousand souls, entered God's fold.
Nobody would have guessed, on that clear morning day,
Just how quick and willing they'd be on their knees to pray.

People flocked to worship, wiping years of dust from the pews,
Way before the fingers were even pointed at the accused.
Most had never come close to devastation so great,
Except in photos of those third world countries, that had met terrorist's fate.

An unforgettable battleground scene of twisted steel and rubble,
An undoubted sign left behind of fierce enemy trouble.
So many weeks thereafter, poisonous smoke continued to boil,
Filling burning nostrils with the scent of definite spoil.

And Old Glory took her place, as the tempers began to flare,
Flying high, flying proud, in America's angry air.
With this Nation vowing sternly somebody would pay,
For all the mourning and loss, on that fateful day.

And the anger continued to grow, we're justified through pain,
We are allowed to defend, they cannot, must not have died in vain.
And we united, still flying those flags, singing loudly America's hymns,
And we sent Troops to Afghanistan, and then, things began to look grim.

Then one day the flags began to disappear, those American hymns quieted,
All of a sudden we were no longer so strongly united!
Bare flagpoles stood hauntingly empty to rust,
And those pews have now all been recovered in dust.

As the Republicans and Democrats fight on the Congressional floor,
One shouting Bush and the other shouting Gore,
They've all seem to have forgotten the child that still weeps,
Over the loss of their parents that now eternally sleeps.