Shift ends at 8am
and I look over at the clock
It’s odd to me he often
arrives
at 9:11, post commute
I try not to think about
that nightmare
I had struggled to get
out of my mouth
Shaking and choking
as I tried to tell him about
it;
The one where I am at his
funeral
with our sons beside me
I just enjoy the moment
of being a firefighter’s wife
Enjoy his smile and laugh
full, when he bursts in the
door
Sounding like the Ghost of
Christmas Present
rich and deep, full of all
things good
Today is the day I think
about those photographs
with the towers in calamity
The firefighters rushing to,
and in
while others are running away,
and out
The looks on their faces
telling bravery is not
without fear
It is committing to give
in spite of it
Not withdrawing
courage to save someone
else’s spouse,
Someone else’s children
while praying someone will
remember theirs
And I do
 |
Copyright 2012 Jennifer Wagner
Posted to dVerse Poets
Touching tribute beautifully penned! may we never forget.
ReplyDeleteThanks Janet! Yes, may we continue to remember.
Deletea very moving tribute, Jennifer..thank you for sharing~
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Yelena.
DeleteFine poem. I won't trivialize it by trying to explain why.
ReplyDeleteThank you hedge.
DeleteBought tears to my eyes. Thank God for people like your husband who do care about other people's lives.
ReplyDeleteVery moving.
Thanks Daydreamertoo.
DeleteThe looks on their faces
ReplyDeletetelling bravery is not without fear
On a day of unspeakable evil, heroes were born.
There were so many heroes that day, of all types. Thanks tino!
Deleteoh man...heavy on the emotion...my grandfather was a fireman...and to think of all those rescuers that passed away on 9/11 as well...def pray for those that serve....someones son...or daughter....
ReplyDeleteI pray for them too...thanks much Brian.
DeleteTearful write for me--I suspect, for many--lovely piece!!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Audrey.
DeleteA touching tribute that moved so many hearts. A brilliant piece, Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteHank
Thanks Hank-I really appreciate it!
Deletebeautifully done
ReplyDeleteThank you Mark.
DeleteA beautiful tribute.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much ayala.
DeleteWow... this brought tears to my eyes too... very beautiful and well written.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts Serena, I so appreciate them.
DeleteThis is the best poem about 9/11 I have read today. So real, because it is oh so true........may he keep coming in that door, every single day!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAppreciate your good wishes Sherry! Thank you so much.
Deletetoo often we forget the sacrifices made by the families of first responders and military personnel, not just in a tragedy but in the day-to-day, always facing the possibilities. thank you!
ReplyDelete♥
Thanks so much for your kind thoughts. I appreciate it my hearts!
DeleteYour pride shines through ~ and rightly so ~ a grand tribute
ReplyDeleteHe does make me proud. Thanks for your comment Polly.
DeleteA lovely poem. Great work that both you and your husband do. k.
ReplyDeleteThanks k, I appreciate your words!
DeleteBeautiful and touching personal share ~ Thank you ~
ReplyDeleteThank you Grace.
Delete"I just enjoy the moment
ReplyDeleteof being a firefighter’s wife
"Enjoy his smile and laugh
full, when he bursts in the door"
The contrast of life and possible death in this poem and these and those children makes this poem so totally perfect ending with your caring.
You make me care about now, while I remember then, and this poem needs to be published--
Thank you so much Susan--your words are so very encouraging.
DeleteAnd thank you too, for stopping by and encouraging me!
DeleteLovely touching tribute!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Kiana!
DeleteA fitting tribute, beautifully written.
ReplyDeleteKimolisa- thank you very much, appreciate your words.
DeleteBeautiful! Thank you for writing such a wonderful tribute. I especially love this stanza:
ReplyDeleteThe firefighters rushing to, and in
while others are running away, and out
The commas (I love punctuation in poetry) and the pauses they require give so much weight to these two short lines. Peace, Linda
Linda, thanks for visiting and for your lovely comment.
DeleteThis is a wonderful write! You gave me goosebumps. So many people to remember and give thanks. Thank you for this poem.
ReplyDeleteSara- thank you very much. I appreciate your thoughtful words!
DeleteA superb poem which expresses deep feelings so well. So difficult to do - I think you've communicated wonderfully. I find the opening especially
ReplyDeletegood.
Thank you so much p-d. I'm glad you connected with the extent of emotion, and I appreciate your compliment.
DeleteTouching, beautiful, and sad.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comment Frank.
Deletethe personal reflection is outstanding, line after line. Touching to its fullest ability. The line about being a firefighters wife, while probably the most subtle of all the lines in the poem, straightforward and all, really cemented down the empathy and ability to recognize the qualities transferred in remembrance. So deep, its tough to get down just all I wanted to respond to. Great job. Poem of the day in my opinion. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Fred. I really appreciate your thoughtful comment on my piece. I truly value your compliment here...means a lot to me.
DeleteThe heroism and sacrifice really resonates.
ReplyDeleteThanks Doodles.
DeleteI can only imagine how you dealt with this..but I think you have a handle on it now...thank you for sharing this...I am touched.
ReplyDeleteHonored it touched you kkkkaty. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteThis is such a touching, emotional poem. So often we tend to forget those who risk their lives everyday to save someone else and to think of all those who perished over a decade ago doing just that. Beautiful write!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lisa--I value your thoughtful comment and appreciate your compliment--very much.
Deletewow..firefighters do a great but also so dangerous job...bravery is not without fear..this is so very true
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Claudia.
Delete"bravery is not without fear" -
ReplyDeletethe whole poem, so touching, thank you jennifer
Thanks very much adan--I appreciate your response to the piece.
DeleteFantastic poem, starting in fear, ending in hope and prayers. Lovely cycle.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Kathy, and for your kind comment!
Deletea beautiful and touching piece.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much RMP.
DeleteWow, Jennifer. Deeply emotive to me.
ReplyDeleteThanks Victoria--appreciate your words.
DeleteSo much is written about that day, the loss and the commemoration, but this really put a human face on the tragedy, and asked your reader to stand a while in the place of someone's wife. It gave me chills.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Kerry. I'm honored you felt the piece.
DeleteOhh yes as every one said. You have very nicely kept the details alive, yeah i think my heart pains the same to think of such circumstances.
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting Tanya, I appreciate your thoughts.
DeleteAlways amazes me when my body feels a poem just as much as my mind. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJotter Girl- glad you came by and that you connected with this piece.
DeleteCrushingly direct, pulling at my heartstrings.
ReplyDeleteGlad to have you come by, thank you for commenting Kim.
DeleteVery inspiring tribute but also much more, I really enjoyed this a lot.
ReplyDeleteThanks much rch--glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteWhat a tribute to those brave men who deserve high praise foe what they did on 9/11. You set the stage well and carried your poem through masterfully. Yes, we will remember them....those who lived to tell of it and those who died to try to save others.
ReplyDeleteMary, thank you, well said.
DeleteThere's so much emotion in this. I like that you made it so personal.
ReplyDeleteThanks Laura, glad you liked it.
DeleteFantastic. "And I do." Not only firefighters risking all to save others - but their families too. God bless him, and all of you, with thanks for having the courage.
ReplyDeleteAppreciated words Sherry, thank you for saying them. Encouraging for sure.
Delete