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Heroes Not in Vain
(A Stronger Resolve) By Oliver Mbamara, Esq.
How has the mighty star now suffered?
God's own country, the land of freedom,
The city of York, the heart of liberty,
Like a colossus once, you continue to stand.
How has the champion taken a blow?
For leading the march to freedom land?
The resolve is strong and ever so focused,
To unlock the cages of captivity kingdoms.
How has the fury of destructive fire,
Prevented the showers of the blessing rain?
The sun continues to rise at morning's dawn,
And as we heal, we resolve to strongly live.
How has the pain of loss touched our hearts?
And how far have they gone to divide our bond?
Only enough to stir us to a formidable union,
And 'tis not in vain have our heroes fallen.
TEARS ON EARTH
By Andrea Fletcher, USA
In Remembrance of 9/11/2001
Falling tears along thy way
Tears that are liquid, heated in fire
Burning flames of restless spirits
Many tears have shed
Many pains have been felt
Many screams heard loud
Tears of the year, now and then
Many fears have been lived
Many burdens have been carried
Still treading on that long, long journey
Until thee departed souls rest
Falling, grey of dusty ash
Pain of the burning flame felt deep
"O Lord" deliver thee
In the arms of the angels
"O Lord" eases their pain
Pray, for thee departed souls
Pray, for those left behind.
O YOU AMERICA!
By Oliver Mbamara Esq.
O you America, home of the brave,
Guided on all corners day and night,
By the Lord's armor of immortal soldiers,
Gallant men of daring feat and chivalry,
In robes of light and stripes of white,
Crowned in stars and fed in spirit.
Though your foes your surface scratch,
They never shall touch your heart within.
O you America, land of the free,
Your Star Spangled Banner ever waves,
Cheerfully over the terrace of love,
Where all together strive to freely live,
In peace and harmony of brotherhood,
Saluting your symbol of freedom won,
The ever so standing 'Old Glory'
Of a nation indivisible under God.
O you America, country of God,
In whom we trust, and have our being.
A land rescued by heaven's hand,
Richly blessed with men and women,
Of color and races variously made,
With talents and wealth equally given.
Even though some may think you foe,
You America, will always be loved.
Oliver Mbamara, Esq.
September 9, 2002
PEARL HARBOR TO 911; EVERLASTING CHANGES
From the rubbles of pearl harbor
To the collapse of twin towers 911
I marvel at the desecration of our freedom
And salute the resilience of our might
On each occasion cry for our mother country
I cry for the falling heroes that bless our landscapes
The ones that sheds the sacrificial blood
That keep us focused and bold
From rubbles to rubbles, our ashes ascends heaven
Received by the almighty, He sends His blessings to fortify us
To make us better children for the world
The world shocked by a jolt to our foundation
At Pearl Harbor we shivered
At WTC coiled in to our souls
Senses could not understand the mayhem
Eyes could not believe the atrocities
The desecration of our land
On these occasions we came out outrageos
Smoking with anger and anguish
Asking innumerable questions with innumerable answers
Yet we could not see where we sinned
Against these enemies without conscience
Against men and women that became beast
Against the inhuman assault on our country
The world stood still, the time piece refused to still
Telling us that the struggle must continue
Justice must prevail to let light overcome darkness
The world listened to our cries
The birds of the earth refused singing
Because there is no joy on this infirmly day
The wave of our ocean rose in ferocity
Overflowing bounds and boundaries
Bubbling and boiling for action
To decimate these beast in human skin
These actions are deterrents
To restore our dignity and might
To restore honor to future generations
And keep democracy flowing in our blood,& souls
RALPH MADUIKE
© 2002
WE WILL LIVE AGAIN!
As the dust settle,
Residents of the nation,
Ever blessed country
Comb the carnage, and
Ransack the wreckage,
Picking up the pieces
Of their shredded lives,
And shattered dreams.
Once the land of honey/oil,
Now dried by greed.
Once a dear native land,
Now dogged by violence.
Where tribe and tongue
Though always differed,
Yet in brotherhood stood,
Now in hatred all severed.
Ashes of burnt houses,
Remnants of horror,
And lifeless bodies,
Litter the sordid streets
In pervaded desolation.
And so you expect,
A people pooped,
Worn out and withered.
But instead you find,
A people hopeful,
For in their eyes,
I see their future.
These besieged cities,
Will rise again.
And in this nation,
We will live again.
Oliver Mbamara
© 2002
'We Will Live Again' is dedicated to the courage of all those who have been affected in one way or the other by recent tragic incidents that have dogged the country Nigeria in recent times especially the Lagos munitions depot explosions (and also to 9/11 incident victims in the United States). It is a salute to their strength and courage in picking up the pieces and moving on with life. It may not be an easy task but with the will to triumph, they will surely pull through.
- Editor
SEPTEMBER 11
By Heather
As we wake up we smell the fresh air,
We fix our hair,
it's just like any ole day.
Your parents are off to work
And you are getting ready for school
Hooray! It's about noon
And the world's been flipped around
The news is out that an airplane
Has hit a building down town.
All that goes through anyone's head
Is OH MY GOODNESS is any one dead?
It was so unsuspected and such tragic day
But everywhere you look
There's something that says
GOD BLESS THE USA!
AS I WONDER
I stand on my deck and look up at the sky
As I wonder why they had to die
I see the stars shining above my head
Do they represent the number of dead?
I see my breath float into the night
Why do our nations have to fight?
I go into the house and close the door
Will our nations go to war?
I check on my children asleep in their beds
As I wonder what thoughts in their heads.
Are they thinking about this awful day?
Day when their freedom was taken away?
I go to bed and close my eyes
All I can hear is their mournful cries
Then I hear a little voice say
Why did we have to die this way?
Please Lord let our families know we're okay
That we will meet them again some day,
And to those who took our lives this way,
May they find peace in God some day.
Sue Hitchocck - September 12/01
TRIBUTE IN LIGHT (A way to heal)
And on the eleventh day of the ninth month,
Mayhem came calling in the garb of terror,
Leaving in its wake, the trail of tragedy,
Lost lives and limbs and ways of living,
Collapsed and buried with the twin towers,
Many hearts broken, many lives changed,
And where once stood gigantic structures,
Lay remnants and debris that became Ground Zero.
And six months gone, like six days past,
From the ruins now rise two towers of light,
Two beacons of hope, two columns of comfort,
United beams of radiant light across the East river,
Piercing the nighttime sky far into the ethers,
A sight to behold, visible from miles around,
Illuminating with cheers, the burdened city of York
And once again, rays of hope return to liberty town.
And Ground Zero becomes the Ground of Light,
As twin beams of blue light shine into the night,
Beckoning on all passing souls to ride the current,
Inviting the angels to come welcome them home.
For thirty-two nights at least, the light will shine,
But beyond the light, will last the sustaining current,
And despite mortality, the immortal shall ascend
The radiant ethers, a gift of love, a tribute in light.
Oliver Mbamara, Esq.
© 2002
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