America United

When Terrorists struck that bright September morning, they unintentionally opened a mother lode of patriotic fervor that welled up and swelled the American heart and mind.

From sea to shining sea - and anywhere Americans happened to be overseas - U.S. citizens everywhere found unique and moving ways to show their pride and their love of their nation's greatest symbol, the star-spangled banner.

Hats and helmets, homes and walls, faces and fences, streets and sidewalks all became canvases for everyday people to display those colors and defiantly show their determination that the United States will survive, recover and prevail.

Any divisions over race, creed and ethnic origin were quickly cast aside as Americans united in their hearts and minds to tell the world what the word "united" in United States of America really means.

Shadows

There are times I feel as though

I am surrounded by Shadows.

Watching the world pass me by.

No one notices me in the shadows.

No one noticed the blood red sky.

The shadows silence my screams.

No one hears me cry.

No one knows my pain.

All alone in the dreary shadows,

Not sure where to go,

No where to turn;

Darkness everywhere.

Lost in time;

Not knowing where I am.

Trapped in a bad dream,

Dont know how to wake up.

The shadows playing tricks;

They open around me

Then close back up.

Taunting me,

Teasing me.

I cry.

I can hear my cries,

Why cant anyone else?

Where am I to go?

Where can I turn?

Will anyone ever find me?

I am surrounded in shadows,

Watching the world pass me by.

When I first wrote that poem I didn't know why,

now i see that I wrote it because America was in

the shadows on Sept 11, 2001!

The Tragic Toll

Total Dead: 2,823

Recovered: 1,102

Never found: 1,721

Police Deaths: 23

Port Authority Officers Deaths: 37

Firefighters Deaths: 343

Recovery Work: 3,100,000 hours

Debris Removed: 1,642,698 Tons

Steel Removed: 190,568 Tons

Subterranean Debris Left: 25,000 Tons

Number of Trucks Used: 108,444

Area Cleared: 16 Acre (3 football fields)

Last Fires Extinguished: Dec. 20, 2001

Number of Daily Visitors: 1,000 + daily

God Bless the USA!!