by Milt Sniegowski

Over time civilization appeared to flourish with significant progress,
In many ways its unimaginable how mankind could possibly digress.
Engineering feats top the list conjuring a sense of pride and wonder,
But a blind arrogance can obstruct as evil forces ravage and plunder.
Skyscrapers across the land can be seen by arrays of towering light,
Even in a cool distant fog in the middle of a gloomy summer night.
We gazed at the majesty of the twin towers of a New York skyline,
Without warning both collapsed as we naively thought all was fine.
Paired planes out of the sky on a dark inglorious mission from hell
Descended on planned targets that we have come to know so well.
Echoes of distant thunder still resound to all in the land of the free,
Like Pearl Harbor forever recorded as another day of total infamy.
Thousands succumbed to their end on that fateful day in September,
Fearless rescuers too joined the fallen ranks as we sadly remember.
Stronger with a dedicated tenacity through the constant by-and-by,
Our promise to honor the hallowed victims will evoke many to cry.
Each heartfelt anniversary our country honors with a unified echo,
As passersby pay homage at the monument known as ground zero.