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If I Could Change the Past -911

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~2nd Place~
Contest: The Good Samaritan
Sponsor: Craig Hawkins
Judged: 09/21/2017

~1st Place~
Contest: Change My Past
Sponsor: Nayda Ivette Negron
Judged: 07/29/2016

My poem is based on truth. My husband served in the City of Newburgh paid Fire Department for 27 years and retired as Assistant Chief. After that, we worked together in our fire equipment and service company with 7-9 employees for 20 years and sold it in 2004. We knew many of the NYC Fire Department firefighters. We visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum in NYC and found the names of those firefighters we knew who died inscribed in bronze on the memorial. Very sad...

September eleven, two-thousand-one- dark age of homeland terror had begun. If only I could change this horrid past- alleviate deep pain from grief at last. Three thousand souls were lost forever, then; three hundred forty-three were brave firemen, so many whom I'd come to know before, when they'd stop by our fire equipment store. Our county is just sixty miles away from New York City, south of us, and they would often live more north in New York State, commute each shift- but many met their fate. One family resided on our street... that morning, he left home for Death to meet. So many others we will never see who purchased goods from us so faithfully. For those who died, their bodies not yet found, we gifted presentation helmets bound to loved ones for those funerals then held- such somber and sad days, unparalleled. If I could change this past and turn back time, erase that day of tragedy and crime, my heart, with all the others, would rejoice that these poor souls could live a life of choice.

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Line Gauthier

Date: 12/21/2017 4:40:00 PM

Thanks for sharing such an emotional write. Excellent, Sandra. Congrats on your win.

Eve Roper

Date: 12/21/2017 1:43:00 PM

Very heartfelt, Sandra, congratulations on your win! Hugs Eve

Janice Canerdy

Date: 12/21/2017 12:26:00 PM

Excellent, Sandra! Congrats on your well-deserved win. Janice

Sunita U.D Palawon

Date: 8/1/2016 10:58:00 AM

Wonderful Sandra. Now it gets to me in the proper way. I listened to it several times and could pick up the meter. Beautiful work. Thanks a lot my dear. love Sunita

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 7/31/2016 12:03:00 AM

Your poem touches all of us rather we knew people who died in that terrible happening or not. They will not be forgotten. You poem is especially moving since you were so close to it Sandra. Truly a beautiful poem you have created to honor them. A well deserved first place! Congratulations! 7 ; )

Sunita U.D Palawon

Date: 7/30/2016 11:40:00 PM

This is very sad. But fire if sacred to some is just evil at times devouring everything in its passage...Congrats Sandra on the first place and for sharing this with us. I would have love to hear it from you on audio to get the iambic meter. I'm poor at catching it reading. :D Thanks. Love Sunita

Bl Devnath

Date: 7/30/2016 1:09:00 PM

A deep painful incidence, unforgettable that can't be erased from memory. May God keep their souls happy in heaven. Congrats on your win with this heart touching poem. hugs, Cloudy poet

Suzanne Delaney

Date: 7/30/2016 6:19:00 AM

Congratulations Sandra: To be touched so personally by this tragedy must be almost unbearable. It brings the concept of fate, palpably to the surface. Thanks for sharing this sadness with us, SuZ

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:37:00 AM

Thank you, Suzanne, for your supportive comments and congrats. I appreciate your visit and your kinds words very much. Hugs, Sandra

Kai Michael Neumann

Date: 7/30/2016 4:12:00 AM

congratulations and prayers for the families and peace for the world.

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:29:00 AM

Thank you very much, Kai, for your congratulations and prayers. Sandra

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 7/29/2016 9:50:00 PM

big congrats for a worthy win.

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:36:00 AM

Thank you so much, Andrea. Hugs, Sandra

Janis Medders Tobechi

Date: 7/29/2016 7:41:00 PM

Congratulations on a first rate piece. We will all remember and thank those responders. I need to get up there to see the memorial. This poem brings back the immense horror of that day.

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:35:00 AM

Thank you, Janis, for your supportive comments and congrats. The memorial emotionally moves the heart and soul to fully understand the horrors of that day. Hugs, Sandra

Ronald Kent

Date: 7/29/2016 7:25:00 PM

Right up there where it should be. congrats on the win.

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:32:00 AM

Thank you, Ronald, for your visit and supportive comments and congrats! Much appreciated. Sandra

Nayda Ivette Negron Flores

Date: 7/29/2016 3:50:00 PM

Congratulations Sandra on the placement of the contest

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:30:00 AM

Thank you very much, Nayda. I was so honored and pleased with my placement. Hugs, Sandra

John Watt

Date: 7/26/2016 5:26:00 PM

Thank you, dear Sandra for putting into words what so many of us feel. God bless those fire fighters and police officers who ran towards danger and made the ultimate sacrifice. So thankful for those who continue to do this work, knowing of the inherent dangers. This poem brought a tear. Hugs ~ John

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:29:00 AM

Thank you, John, for your very supportive and uplifting comments about my poem and those special people who try to protect and save us. My own firefighter, my husband, spent 27 years going above and beyond with his life-saving service to our city and was hurt several times doing so. Thanks again for your visit and kind remarks. Sandra

Daniel Turner

Date: 7/26/2016 2:49:00 PM

It was indeed very sad and it changed the world forever. A beautiful sentimental write Mrs Sandra. I have driven across the Newburgh Toll Bridge many times. It is a very pretty place.

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:23:00 AM

Thank you for your supportive comment, Daniel. Yes, a sad day indeed. Wow...live about one mile from the Newburgh bridge. Where do you live, Daniel? Sandra

Nilima Deb

Date: 7/26/2016 1:10:00 AM

very heart-touching fact...nice write!

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:20:00 AM

Thank you very much for your visit and positive comments. Sandra

Constance La France

Date: 7/25/2016 7:48:00 PM

Oh, Sandra, your poem brought me to tears, such a sad part of the worlds past, yes it would be so wonderful to change that past, so many lost lives, a winner, dear heart ~

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/30/2016 10:19:00 AM

Thank you so much, Broken Wings. Sandra

Viv Wigley

Date: 7/25/2016 5:38:00 PM

A fine, heartfelt write, Sandra. I'm sure it will do well. Viv x

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/25/2016 6:13:00 PM

Thank you, Viv. I appreciate your visit and supportive comments! Sandra

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 7/25/2016 1:38:00 PM

- A pain that no one forgets, great written Sandra - Good luck in the contest - hugs // Anne-Lise :)

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/25/2016 6:12:00 PM

Thank you, Anne-Lise. Yes, it will be fifteen years September 11. Thank you for your visit and supportive comments. Hugs, Sandra

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 7/25/2016 1:34:00 PM

what a great way to do this topic, something that is so personal to you, not just a national tragedy. but it sounds as if you really knew some of those poor souls who lost lives that day. well written, Sandra

Sandra Haight
Date: 7/25/2016 6:11:00 PM

Thank you very much, Andrea. Yes, we did know several of these unfortunate firefighters. Hugs, Sandra