Crossfire

It began as a lovely September, 2001,  at least, it should have been.....
somewhere lost in the crossfire, between summer and fall
days growing short, and evenings long

But, things now warped into a sense of surreal.  What was seen, could not be real
As if bifocals were mixed in a bin, out of focus, rim to rim

I've asked to borrow a broken pencil,  I find paper blowing in the acrid wind
my fingers shake with tensile fear....and, I write a goodbye.. I don't know why......

An edifice of a city, shades of gray, smoke, and ash,
stony faces, and rubble, of ruin and glass
littered streets, silent people, crying people in shock
A playbill, lost and frayed, blowing into my face

It began as a lovely September, 200l, or it should have been.....

Sirens, shattered concrete,  sidewalks, shepherding the living into  
the arms of someone, or maybe, .... into the arms of no one 
Someone is borrowing a cell phone, ...  there is smell of burnt sulfer
Bridges, crosswalks, that will take them back into calamity, .. our new reality

Someone lends me a broken pencil,  I find paper blowing in the acrid wind
I write a goodbye...  I don't know why......

It began as a lovely September, 2001, or it should have been....




_____________________
10/3/14
For The Challenge "Chopped"
Sponsored By Craig Cornish
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

Poem

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Meier-Hans Avatar
November 3, 2014 at 12:03 PM
Wow Carrie. Congratulations on your win with this powerfully emotional theme.
A. Sharma Avatar
November 3, 2014 at 10:41 AM
Wow Carrie that's a superb one! Congrats on awesome win !
Haight Avatar
November 3, 2014 at 9:00 AM
Carrie, your poem gave me goosebumps...how vividly you portray that awful day. You captured the horrible visions we all shared that day that will always be with us inside, but you verbalized them in your beautiful poem. Congratulations on your well-deserved win! Sandra
Gibson Avatar
November 2, 2014 at 6:44 PM
Powerfully written, Carrie...the repetition enforces the theme and emotion. Well done. Congratulations.
Mohn Avatar
November 2, 2014 at 8:35 AM
You captured the chaos in a wonderfully powerful way Carrie...really great...thanks for the very nice comment on mine as well
Yvonne Avatar
November 2, 2014 at 7:34 AM
Amazing as are all your writes. Congratulations on your well deserved win, good luck in the following rounds.
Jerden Avatar
November 1, 2014 at 4:12 PM
My wife and I were in NY for our anniversary just a week before 9/11, so we were quite affected in a personal way. I have a photo of her with the Twin Towers right over her shoulder taken from Ellis Island. Congratulations!
Guzzi Avatar
November 1, 2014 at 3:12 PM
Wow Carrie very cool I particularly like how the required object weave in so well and don't seem out of place. Congrad's on your win! Light & Love
Allison Avatar
November 1, 2014 at 1:14 PM
incredible vivid imagery here Carrie many congrats on your win:-) Hugs Jan xx
Dietrich Avatar
October 5, 2014 at 12:18 AM
gosh it reminded me of one of those movies, going back in time and just repeating the same surreal horrible thing over and over. Something like that. Very well written. Sure to go far in this unusual contest that I am opting out of!!
Guzzi Avatar
October 4, 2014 at 7:56 PM
yes 911 was when America felt like it feels like everyday to live in a war zone, not just 1 day. Great verse Carrie! Light & Love
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