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 poems i wrote...(*if you want to use them email me)
Posted by: Daniel Sledge from Watkinsville
Thursday June 06, 2002 @ 02:21 PDT

a heroes tale
by daniel sledge

i knew that it was futile, searching through the clutter,
hoping someone lived, or that i heard a mutter,
i knew i should give up, hoping to find someone alive,
but everyone working was buzzing, just like a beehive,
i haven't had a good nights sleep, since the attack,
working all day, taking an hour nap, eating a snack,
immediately returning, to join the force once more,
and the area looked like it was from a war,
yet i could not stop, something kept me going,
grabbing at the rubble, getting cut, picking up and throwing,
wanting to believe, it was just one bad dream,
but knowing that it wasn't, as we lifted another beam,
suddenly the sun shone, and i dared to hope,
maybe its all right, but what i saw made me mope,
all that had been dragged, from this great refuse,
were pieces of cement, giving no one any clues,
and also pieces of this and that, and even body parts,
i have been cut and bruised, because the worst wound, has befallen our hearts,
we have been toiling relentlessly, looking for any that survived,
clinging to a thread of hope, that loved ones might be alive,
i am glad that i have witnessed, what has gone on here,
for i truly know, now we have nothing to fear,
for the things i have seen, making many a hero,
are truly most evident, here at ground zero,
and yet what i look forward to, until the day begins anew,
is being alive and still having a family to come back to.
the way we've been brought together, is what you should remember,
but please never forget, what happened in september.


the day that evil arrived
by daniel sledge
it started out as a peaceful day,
nobody knew what was coming this way,
they came to destroy our spirit and our drive,
for that was the day that evil arrived.

18 men on only 4 planes,
bending them and making them inflict many pains,
casually tossing away so many lives,
for that was the day that evil arrived.

1 tower was hit, then that became two,
and then the pentagon was hit, and part of it fell through,
they hit us right where our business’s thrived,
for that was the day that evil arrived.

on the fourth plane where terrorists were now crewing,
the passengers decided to keep others from dying, and in so doing,
suicided the plane to keep others alive,
on that september day that evil arrived.

after a short time had elapsed,
both towers and parts of the pentagon collapsed,
many husbands have left widowed wives,
because of what happened when evil arrived.


this crisis has made thousands a hero,
especially those who were working at ground zero,
they represented our unmeasurable pride,
even while knowing how many had died,
on that day that evil arrived,
attacking us with an eye towards taking many lives,
but when they failed and now we must all strive,
waiting for the day when justice arrives.


a vow to remember
by daniel sledge

i have seen many things, in my fruitful life,
yet compared to last september, never so much strife,
it seems just like a movie, or a nightmare,
but you cant leave afterward, but will leave you feeling scared,
i have seen heroism, the likes of which had been unknown,
i have seen children, suddenly forced to be grown,
i have seen families, torn apart like paper,
i have seen people, outraged by such a caper,
i have seen myself, watching in the sky,
i have seen millions, praying and asking why,
i have seen purposes, in many bad things before,
i have read of triumphs, but there are losses in every war,
but i have never seen such a dedicated land,
and so many people come together like a band,
i have also never seen, such a wonderful sight,
as i saw just recently, with usa showing all its might,
and never have i seen, a population of all from blacks to white,
be standing in support, and making decisions right,
never have i seen, so many wanting to help others,
never have i seen, a country as close as brothers,
never have i seen, the atrocities come of late,
never have i seen, a country that is this great,
never have i seen, such a united front, nor
have i seen, such a wonderful people before,
who love the red, the white, and the blue,
and want to serve our country, and represent us true.
but the best thing i ever saw, was the amount of cheers,
as when a fireman came back, against all their loved ones fears,
we must not forget what happened in september,
but we must always and forever remember,
amidst all the tears,
that we can triumph, and conquer all our fears.


the hero's farewell:
a tribute to a firemans courage
by daniel sledge
we knew it had to be bad, when the ground rumbled,
and yet we piled in our fire engines, none of us grumbled,
as i got my fire suit hanging on its latch,
i over heard these words, from the dispatch
something's hit the world trade center!
as we neared the area, my heart was reduced to splinters,
and once i arrived on scene, i was filled with dread,
just thinking about how many probably were dead,
but we kept on driving brave,
hoping that we wouldn't be next to fill in a grave,
even though we knew the danger, we still ran in,
as we went up the stairs, we saw many men,
it kept getting worse and worse,
trying to save the towers workforce,
we saw people crawling, walking, limping, and laying,
we saw others helping a handicapped woman down the stairs, and still others praying,
then we got a call from our radio, amidst all this pain,
4 words i remember, "it was an airplane!"
i had just turned around when i heard a cry,
and when i looked out the window, i didn't see just sky,
a plane was headed straight for the other tower,
i cried painfully, for stopping it was beyond my power,
after what seemed like forever, working on an adrenaline rush,
i glanced towards the window, once again, and completely hushed,
for i had seen people living and dead, jumping and falling in a rush,
and i tried not looking out again, and imagined i heard their bodies crush,
we kept on helping, rushing around, and we thought the worst had passed,
then i heard a groaning, and unwillingly turned to see the other building out the window, falling past,
i turned my head once more and closed my eyes, and tried to forget about what just occurred,
and noticed for a moment we were all too shocked to say a single word,
i was checking what floor i was on, and the sign said sixty-eight,
i heard a call from the radio, commanding us to evacuate,
i thought that there isn't a chance i could make it to the first floor,
and seeing a person needing help, i decided i would try, if nothing more,
i told them to hurry, they asked why, and said we must get out fast,
then as i helped this person down the stairs, there was a rumble, then everything crashed,
as i awoke from an urge to cough , i saw those from the tower,
and brushing myself off, thought i needed a shower,
then i whooped triumphantly, "yes we saved all our lives!"
and as i looked down at them, i saw awe in their eyes,
i slowly turned around, and then saw shining bright,
jesus came and took my hand, and led me towards the light.
as we kept on walking, my energy wholly sapped,
i heard a noise and turned around, and then everyone clapped,
as i felt so tired, and weary and needed rest,
jesus smiled and he said, "saving lives was what you did best;"
and it was then that i realized, i saw hundreds of other firemen,
so please don't feel sad for me, because i am in heaven,
so if you feel so sad, that you never said goodbye,
don't worry, since one day you will also be here in the sky,
i hope you can understand, that i never had any last words,
but i am now safe up here with the lord,
they say you don't get sad, or angry way up here,
but as i walked along the path i shed a single tear.


a heros farewell part 2:
a tribute to all civilian heroes
by daniel sledge
it was around 8 0’clock,
when i started my long walk,
climbing the stairs of the wtc,
never knowing what might happen to me,
i was drinking some water, and working too,
then i saw a plane crash into the other wtc, i wished it wasn’t true,
i then immediately started down the stairs,
when a second crash caught me unawares,
the building shook, groaned, and shuddered,
then from somewhere someone muttered,
help please! i found her and it was a handicapped lady,
someone else and i carried her, and she told us her name was sadie,
i said we could make it, but knew it wasn’t true,
trying to comfort her, since our time was almost through,
the building started creaking and groaning,
trying to drown out the shrieking and moaning,
and as i heard a desperate yell,
i also heard something fell,
i went faster with the other two,
hoping we could just make it to,
the ground floor and make it back,
that was when everything went black,
then when i came to, i looked and saw,
a sight that filled me with tears and awe,
i couldn’t make out any words, my throat suddenly dry,
i made out one thing, barely a whisper why?
i saw the lady we had carried walking as good as can be,
and then i asked why it had happened to me,
as i cried torrentially,
someone came and hugged me,
i knew it was jesus when i opened my eyes,
and i asked why so many lost their lives,
jesus said it was your times
i said but we didn’t do any crimes
he said everyones time must come
i then thought of people, like my son,
i thought about saying to them i love you all and one,
and jesus said they know you love them,
and one day will be here with you jim
jim said he must be a total zero
and then the handicapped lady pulled him aside and said,
you will always be my hero,
for not hesitating when you knew taking me might make you dead
 


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