"I've seen the lights go out on Broadway, I saw the Empire State laid low…"

by Katie Gomez on September 11, 2008

in 9-11,Windows On The World

Image by Rob Beilby

Image by Rob Beilby

Tuesday’s sunshine dancing on the beggar’s dirty face,
passing steam-riddled blacktop, cracked backs and wailing.
Bakers and fishmongers, smell of a city waking,
bootleg vendors on cold street corners.
Two great arms outstretched, yawning,
kitchen prep work over boom box radios and
Spanglish conversations,
delivery trucks, squealing brakes,
curses spat at taxi drivers.
Coffee shop wi-fi, pigeons startled by a horn blast,
lithe blonde adjusts her skirt in an alley.
Don’t clean my windshield, pull up my window, lock my door,
green light freedom leaves him in exhaust fumes.
Sanitation noise and elevator silence,
Howard Stern broadcast over big apple airwaves,
pretzel pushcart declaring its slab of real estate
on Washington Square.
Headshop on Waverly, agency on Fifth,
laundromat on Delancy, theater off Broadway,
raising their eyes to a sky
that went from blue to gray.
We will have no strangers among us today.
The phoenix rises from its ashes,
no matter how great the pile,
and so we will raise a first glass in remembrance,
and then a second in reverence.

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jeff September 11, 2008

Vivid, beautiful, and poignant.

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2 ILEANA September 11, 2008

I am speeacheless –
Beautiful

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3 Anthony September 11, 2008

wow what a poem
very moved and im blown away

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4 Linsey September 11, 2008

great poem – i am pleased to have read it on the anniversary of the tragedy

the phoenix especially a poignant image for remembering with pride of the power to rebuild and never give in to evil

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5 MaryEllen Magee September 11, 2008

What a beautiful poem. You are as talented as I remember. Thank you for sharing; you touched me as I am remembering a lost friend today.

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