9/11

The hallways are silent.

Silent enough for heart beats to race between tiles

and weave between skyscraper windows 
under perfect September 11 blue.  
And ears are buzzing with vibrations
across waters and waters,
drowning in news reports and cries,
and time is warping into nightmares once more.
 

Silence.  The hallways are silent. Read more »

I wasn't even five years old on September 11th, 2001. Nearly, but not yet. I don't remember my mother frantically trying to reach my father, who was working in New York City at the time. Most of the adults in my life can place the exact moment when they heard that the towers had been hit. When they fell. Me? I was probably playing with some blocks at my preschool. Read more »

I was on Facebook yesterday and saw a status that shocked and scared me.
 

"I don't want to hear anymore about 9/11," the person said. "It's been 10 years, move on!"

"I wish there was a way to fastforward thru that date!" she ranted.

And "We remember the day- maybe-& move on."

Is anyone else upset by this?

I was almost going to comment with my opinion opposing her, but I refused to feed the fire. I didn't want to create a bad relationship between myself and this person, so I held my keyboard back.

But I went to sleep that night bothered. Not only had she posted such an atrocity to their memories, but others had also commented with their thoughts on 9/11 and how it shouldn't be remembered! I couldn't believe it.

Needless to say, I had a troubled sleep.

Then, the next day...

"I'm sorry if I offended anyone," she posted. "It wasn't my intention."
 

Well, I was offended, I wanted to shout.

America was offended!

The thousand of men and women who died that day, either trying to escape their offices or trying to save others, are offended!

It may not have been her intention to offend, but that is most definitely what happened.

Now, I am not going to continue to write about this specific person for a few reasons:

1.) I was torn over whether or not to use her actual words in this post, and decided that it was the only way to get the correct message across. Read more »

 It's been a while since I've written, so this is exciting!  Sorry that I'm a bit late on this topic, but it's something that means a lot to me. Read more »

Yesterday I began reading Azar Nafisi's Things I've Been Silent About: Memoirs of a Prodigal Daughter, an interesting story of the author's life growing up in Tehran. (Nafisi is probably best known for her book Reading Lolita in Tehran) I found the writing style blunt but beautiful, and very captivating. This morning I went to her website, and was immediately drawn to the page "Favorite Sites" where I found descriptions and links to many interesting literary and activist sites. I recommend taking a look: http://azarnafisi.com/favorite-sites/ Read more »

I am watching
People in an office
I could run away
If I tried
But I don't.
Someone unknown sits in an office chair,
At a desk,
Wearing a fraying Yankees cap.
He picks up his ringing phone.
Somehow,
I hear both sides of the conversation
"Hello?"
"Hey hon, could you pick up a thing of laundry detergent on your
way home?"
"Sure sweetie. What's for dinner?"
"Pot roast. What time'll you be home?"
"Hold on. I can't hear you. The planes are louder than usual."
Call you back."
"'Kay. Love ya."
"Love ya too."
CLICK
I see planes overhead
Two different planes,
Heading toward two Read more »

I am watching
People in an office
I cound run away
If I tried
But I don't.
Someone unknown sits in an office chair,
At a desk,
Wearing a fraying Yankees cap.
He picks up his ringing phone.
Somehow,
I hear both sides of the conversation
"Hello?"
"Hey hon, could you pick up a thing of laundry detergent on your
way home?"
"Sure sweetie. Whats for dinner?"
"Pot roast. What time'll you be home?"
"Hold on. I can't hear you. The planes are louder than usual."
Call you back."
"'Kay. Love ya."
"Love ya too."
CLICK
I see planes overhead
Two different planes, Read more »

Today is the day:

That started it all
That ended it all

That destroyed lives
That 'brought us together'

That started "the war on terror"
Basically destroying this country

I hate this day

Not because of
What it stands for
But because of
What it reminds me of

Horrified people
Running from
A huge building
Or two
About to crash
Wipe out everyone

I don't remember
Watching these things
Seven years ago
But I remember
How everyone felt
How I felt
No recess?

Our freedoms
Were already being
Taken away

Look where we are now

However
Despite how much I hate this day
We should all take another moment of silence
(We already had one wherever we were today at 8:40-ish)

I'd like you to remember
Not only the lives lost
But what this country
Spiraled into
In a poor response to terrorism

*this is where there should be silence*

Who are the terrorists now?

I don't know why
But suddenly
I'm watching footage
From 9/11
On YouTube

I was 9 years old
We weren't allowed
To go outside
For recess
I was bitching
To my best friend
About it
Something about them
"Taking away our freedom"
In my rebellious stage

I went to daycare
That afternoon
And she sat us down
On her picnic table
And told us
What'd happened

I was worried
First
For my family
They were all that mattered
Right then

She explained
Nobody I knew
Was hurt

When I got home
I think my mom
Was crying
She had the TV on
All night
The footage was everywhere
But I didn't
Want to watch

I didn't care

Everyone was so
Broken up
And I continued on
With my life

And now
Here I am
16 years old
And I'm watching
Footage online
And I'm disgusted
At my younger self

What a crazy world we live in

I thought this entry
Might be meaningful
But it's more me
Looking back
At what a twerp I was