9/11/2001

This is a poem I wrote in the days following 9/11, about my experiences as a high school student whose father worked in the World Trade Center. He was alright, thank God.

This Dark Day

They made an announcement in Chemistry class.
A knot in my stomach,
Burned my finger with glass.
But denial overcame fear.
Two periods later, I’d not shed a tear.
It was pushed all the way to the back of my mind,
The only place I could deal with news of this kind.
Then I heard my name come on the PA,
One amongst dozens
Each alone
This dark day.
I avoided the office, going the long way.
Got hugs from my friends, a pinky swear that “He’ll be okay.”
The message said nothing but that we had to go
With relief or with grief
We still didn’t know.