National Adult Literacy Database

June 23, 2003

The following poem was written by Carrie Veenstra, from St. Catharine's, Ontario. Carrie is a student with the Niagara Regional Literacy Council since 2001. She is working towards further education after she has obtained her Grade 12.

Silenced Cries

by Carrie Veenstra

You can't hear their cries anymore,
For they are now silenced,

It happened on a beautiful sunny day,
For Sept.11th started out perfect,
When they got on their way to fly,
They had no way of knowing it was the last time to say good-bye,
When the innocence of those who relaxed in their seats,
Were enjoying what life had offered them,
It turned to fate to make a bad change,
For a brief time we heard their cries,
Then they were silenced as the landing into two twin towers.
With skies filled with black smoke and fire,
The people in the Big Apple watched and shook,
For those who lost their lives on this saddened day.
For it was not in vain,
This was caused by the madness of some men of the time.

The towers came tumbling down in a roar,
People ran for their lives,
For those who couldn't get out,
God bless their souls.

We cried and shook with shock and disbelief.
For this event rocked us to our very soul,
Now we mourn for those who died,
We also must comfort those who survived.
For those who helped in the time of need,
We owe you our heart of gold.

Now we must remember for those who are now silenced.
For the prized possession of our time is Life
So Please don't take it for granted,
Because you never know when it is time to go.

[This poem was taken with permission, from Training Post, Summer 2002, published by Laubach Literacy Ontario.]