September 11th, October 7th

by barb howe

We want revenge
Because the sky has fallen into the earth
And it’s hard to breathe dirt
And our mouths are filled with ashes
And we don’t know what else to do

I cannot tell where the line of people ends
They circle back and start over again

Faces of terror and retribution
Staring dryly in the early morning haze
Stunned
In the fog and smoke of bombed buildings
In New York
In Afghanistan
They pick up the pieces
And start again

And the suited men in capitals
Seated around tables in safe cities
Start over again
While the shells of children fill the streets

There is war here
And the peacemakers
And the soldiers
Walk the same torn and bleeding earth
They pick through the pieces
And start again