I don’t need to tell you how divided our country has become. How polarized. How there seem to be two different Americas today, each living in a parallel but very different reality from the other. How people feel free to spout the most vile language, to dehumanize their neighbor, and to throw away the very values of America while claiming to cherish them.

There was a day, not so very long ago, where we truly were the United States of America.

I hope someday we can find ourselves there again—but united in joy, not grief.

The Towers Stood

by Kerry Gans

 

One summery September morning

Death flew out of the clear blue sky.

 

In Manhattan, papers and people fell like rain.

In Washington, the Pentagon crumbled.

In a Pennsylvania field, a plane of heroes crashed.

 

And still the Towers stood.

Flaming like the torch of Lady Liberty,

They stood in defiance of hatred.

 

The enemy envisioned immediate collapse,

A domino effect of death.

But still the Towers stood.

 

American strength saved 16,000 people that day,

Although 2,977 perished, sudden soldiers

In an unexpected war.

 

On that day of death, there was no North or South

No coasts East or West

No difference between old money and new immigrant

No African-American, Asian-American, European-American, Native-American.

 

On that day we were simply American,

United in anger and pain.

On the day the towers fell,

America rose.