Faye Sizemore

BURNT CANDLES AND PRAYERS

Faye Sizemore: Burnt Candles and PrayersSoon it will be the fall of the year
Bringing memories of those not here

Another September coming on fast
How long will these memories last?

The Twin Towers were brought down
The Pentagon razed to the ground

There were so many lives lost
Much too many to add the cost

The terrorists will be made to pay
Our brave soldiers still search today

So many were lost ending their years
So many candles, still so many tears

Let us on one year to the day
Light our candles then kneel and pray

Show them that the world still cares
Remember them all in your prayers

BEFORE EIGHT FIFTY ONE

It was a beautiful fall day
With a blue azure sky
fluffy clouds lazing by
That was before eight fifty one
Before it was time to cry

September eleventh, a quiet morning
nothing yet known of the horror
that was soon to be dawning
Or the grief that was coming

A voice on the phone
Saying to turn on the news
Something is wrong is why
It was eight fifty one
It was time to cry

So many lives that day were lost
We most dearly paid the cost
It will be many more years
Before we can dry all the tears

Take me back, can it be done
Change the clock back before
Before eight fifty one
Before it was time to cry

Author’s Note: 8:51 am is the time it was in NYC when, on television, Diane Sawyer announced that there had been an explosion at the World Trade Center

SEPTEMBER TRAGEDY

Faye Sizemore: September TragedySilvers birds
Towers of light
In plain sight

Innocent victims

Hearts of ice
Three thousand souls
The sacrifice

DARK SEPTEMBER

In the wind does drift memories still
of Dear Ones taken against their will
on that fateful day in September
We do pause often to remember…
to remember a terrorist act so senseless
which ended many innocents happiness
They have failed to tear us asunder…
for all that came from the ashes and thunder
were hands reaching… pulling us closer together…
Now we do seek out terrorists and we will forever…
until all their ashes we are able to cast to the wind
in vengeance… for lives lost in their Twin Towers sin

SEPTEMBER ELEVEN… END OF A SEASON

Sunshine finds it way through the trees
to pattern the needle padded ground…
turning it into a dance of darkness and light
Birds are holding court in the pine trees above
Something in the breeze speaking to them of autumn
and the coming of the cold and the time of leaving
… going to their summer world… leaving winter behind

The bittersweet vine twines all around
The sumac is bursting scarlet plumes
The maples are becoming tinged with scarlet
and the oaks are cast in shades of bronze
Gentian violet is rearing its purple head
and in the fields next to them goldenrods lean
Nature’s colors unfurled… heralding its sleep

All around in this world life does abound
Acres here just filled with beauty and peace
Suddenly… so suddenly… a swooping… a screech…
… Feathers floating down… a sudden death…
Good-bye… good-bye… forever…
Who knew the hawk was ready to strike…
Who indeed… The hawk… the hawk knew…

AUTUMN MEMORIES…
September in New York

Faye Sizemore: Autumn Memories… September in New YorkSumac red
Gentian violet
Yellow goldenrod
Bronze oaks
Scarlet maples
The hues of Autumn
painted in memory…
painted with love
and then… another memory
Silver… silver of planes
shining in the golden sun
Clouds of dark smoke… red fire
Two towers falling… falling down…
Grey and black…
choking… billowing haze
So many feet running in terror
and tears… tears… so many tears…

FORGED IN MEMORY

Faye Sizemore: Forged in Memory
Artist impression of the USS New York, an amphibious assault ship. The USS New York will be LPD-21 and her motto is “Never Forget”
Born now… with tons of steel
cast in the bow stem
… a mighty ship of war
The Twin Towers are no more
… destroyed by a terrorist hand
bringing sorrow to this land
This mighty ship built from the steel
the Towers destruction did yield
Ten tons of shining steel
containing the spirits
of citizens lost
recycled in the USS New York
May it… in duty… sail the seas
honoring forever their memories…


Read the Article, “Twin Towers Steel Used in Construction of USS New York” ©Copyright 2005 Stars & Stripes

UNAVENGED

Remember… remember…
victims and heroes
of Eleven September
Evil deeds done
Silver birds…
majestic towers
… the Pentagon…
felled by dark powers
Time passing by
… going unpunished
We wonder why…

SEVEN YEARS ON

Two beams of light
Two moments of silence

Eight forty-eight
Nine oh three
Two moments of silence

New York
Washington
And Shanksville
Victims and heroes
Names read
In Remembrance

Bells tolling
Flags waving

But… where… oh…
Where is their avenging…?

REMEMBER… 911

Death and destruction
Just before Autumn Solstice
We all do remember
We still long for justice

Was it Bin Laden’s claim to fame
… Or was there another to blame
Crimes still not solved…
Justice still not resolved

We remember…
We do remember
The dark terror
Of September

When will we be granted peace…?

TEN YEARS LATER – 911

Ten years ago
Before 911’s
Destruction and woe

Peace was serene
All was secure
Upon the home scene

We and every friend
All lived unaware
That security would end

Three planes…
Terrorists on board
Taking Aims…

Aims at our own home
Twin Towers, Pentagon
So many were just gone

Dead and dying
Hurt and crying
Flight 93, Heroes flying

Now as I look back:
Was our sense of security
What caused the slack?

Ten years of wars
To get Bin Laden
Was the chores

Bin Laden is gone
Are there more of his kind
That will carry on…

My friends… now it is true
I watch your backs
I hope you watch mine too