Two thousand one, nine eleven
Two thousand one, nine elevenFive thousand plus arrive in heavenAs they pass through the gate,Thousands more appear in waitA bearded man with stovepipe hatSteps forward saying, "Lets sit, lets chat"They settle down in seats of cloudsA man named Martin shouts out proud"I have a dream!" and once he didThe Newcomer said, "Your dream still lives."Groups of soldiers in blue and grayOthers in khaki, and green then say"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine"The Newcomer said, "You died not in vain."From a man on sticks one could hear"The only thing we have to fear.The Newcomer said, "We know the rest,trust us sir, we've passed that test.""Courage doesn't hide in cavesYou can't bury freedom, in a grave,"The Newcomers had heard this voice beforeA distinct Yankees twang from Hyannis port shoresA silence fell within the mistSomehow the Newcomer knew that thisMeant time had come for her to sayWhat was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day"Back on Earth, we wrote reports,Watched our children play in sportsWorked our gardens, sang our songsWent to church and clipped couponsWe smiled, we laughed, we cried, we foughtUnlike you, great we're not"The tall man in the stovepipe hatStood and said, "Don't talk like that!Look at your country, look and seeYou died for freedom, just like me"Then, before them all appeared a sceneOf rubble streets and twisted beamsDeath, destruction, smoke and dustAnd people working just 'cause they mustHauling ash, lifting stones,Knee deep in hell, but not alone"Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, YellowmanSide by side helping their fellow man!"So said Martin, as he watched the scene"Even from nightmares, can be born a dream."Down below three firemen raisedThe colors high into ashen hazeThe soldiers above had seen it beforeOn Iwo Jima back in '44The man on sticks studied everything closelyThen shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly"I see pain, I see tears,I see sorrow -- but I don't see fear.""You left behind husbands and wivesDaughters and sons and so many livesare suffering now because of this wrongBut look very closely. You're not really gone.All of those people, even those who've never met youAll of their lives, they'll never forget youDon't you see what has happened! ?Don't you see what you've done?You've brought them together, together as one.With that the man in the stovepipe hat said"Take my hand," and from there he ledfive thousand plus heroes, Newcomers to heavenOn this day, two thousand one, nine eleven
Author Unknown