The Rain - In Memoriam to the fallen on 9/11/01

 

9/11 Memorial


The Rain


It rained in New York, today.

Though the sky was blue,

And the sun was high.

It rained in New York, today.


It rained in New York, today.

The kind of rain I’ve not seen,

The kind of rain not meant to be.

It rained in New York, anyway.


It rained in New York, today.

Though it was ugly and mean,

I could not turn away from looking up.

It rained in New York, how strange.


The clouds were churning in just one spot,

And the gray giants were weeping.

Then the clouds fell down,

And the rain wouldn’t stop,

The red rain with flames and leaping.

White dust, gray dust, metal steeping

High upon itself bits of flesh falling around me,

Sky darkening, cries coming from all directions

Turning my agony to horror, and my flight into

Paralyzed fear and panic, no more rain,

No more rain, I cried for it to stop.

This isn’t real, this isn’t me running for my life

Trying to comprehend this terrible,

Awful,

Rain.

 

All is dust covered now.

The rain has left a mark.

The memory is clinging.

Sobering and stark.

 

It rained in New York, today.


 ~d.lawrence


From my book Looking In from Outside: Poetry & Prose, titled “The Rain.”

©Copyright applied (2001). All Rights Reserved.

To view this poem on the 9/11 Online Memorial Website, click here.

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Photo courtesy of Willem-Jan Huisman


 

By at

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6 comments:

  1. DenjSeptember 22, 2020 at 5:08 PM

    denj6724@gmail.com. loved "It Rained". Started out ok then got dark but lightened at the end. Very intriguing. I enjoy your work, inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DaMarieSeptember 23, 2020 at 9:25 AM

      Thank you for liking this poem. Very sad day and I'm glad you found it meaningful.

      Delete
  2. DenjSeptember 22, 2020 at 5:14 PM

    denj6724@gmail.com
    After thinking about this"The Rain" I can visualize how it must have felt and looked like to have been there, realization, brought to life. So sad

    ReplyDelete
  3. DaMarieSeptember 23, 2020 at 9:24 AM

    Thank you for your comment and I'm glad you found meaning in the words. I wrote this on 9/11 and the emotional weight of that event was something I could not hold inside. I had to put it into words. Not the most uplifting poem, but meaningful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 5, 2020 at 4:02 PM

    This poem really touched my heart! I found a sense of longing, a need to burst into tears yet peace was
    quite necessary to calm my soul inside. It has a very needful touch.

    ReplyDelete
  5. DaMarieOctober 6, 2020 at 9:31 AM

    Oh my goodness, thank you. I'm glad you liked it and found meaning in the words.

    ReplyDelete

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