A poem for September 11

This is for the office workers
in the twin towers
and the pentagon.

This is for the passengers
on Flight 93.

This is for the firemen
and police officers
and EMTs
who risked their lives
and gave their lives for others.

This is for the American soldiers
who risked their lives
and some who died
for the cause of freedom
and the safety of others
in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This is for the Afghan and Iraqi citizens
who had their homelands invaded
and their homes bombed
by an overwhelming foreign power.

This is for the human beings
created in God’s image
who had their human rights trampled on –
the innocents who were tortured
in Guantanamo Bay.

This is for the innocents who were hurt
in Sadam Hussein’s reign
and in his removal.

This is for every person
who ever lost sleep
for fear their homeland would be attacked
or their home would be bombed
or their beliefs would get them killed.

This is for ever middle eastern American
who gets glared at by others
and every peaceable muslim
who is treated like the enemy.

This is for every middle eastern Christian
who gets glared at by others
the lovers of peace
associated with Christian America
who are treated like the enemy.

This is for everyone
who lost someone they loved
in a building or a plane
on 9/11/01.

This is for everyone
who lost someone they loved
on a day other than 9/11
or in a way other than the sadly-famous way.
who mourns alone
on that anniversary
whose nation mourns not with them.

May God have mercy on us all.