Dear father, if you are in heaven
Look down upon us your suffering flock
Unexpected victims of this senseless war.
Give us these days a meek sense of Peace.
Forgive our humanity, our anger is deep.
We’ve lost many loved ones and symbols of pride
We’re on the brink of losing our mind
For how can we accept this senseless attack,
America’s innocence is lost
When our security is hijacked.
Don’t let us embrace the enemy’s hatred
Do help us hold on to our love, strength and pride
Our spirit is damaged our pain runs quite deep
As deep as the rubble where the Twin Towers sit.
Forgive us if we’ve been too cozy in our country
Too smug while expecting life’s bounty at hand
Too comfortable being America’s children
The best country ever, world leader of man.
Today our hearts grow heavy and blue
Full of a void we can’t understand
Our pride has been tarnished
Our flag flies at half-mast
While tears keep flowing
They don’t extinguish the embers
Smoldering…to remind us
How vulnerable we are.
Ofelia Rodriguez Goldstein