If I were a rock dove,

I could fly from site to site to site

carry a message of love and humanity

in my talons, perch in the debris

supervise the rescue and salvage

gaze deeply into the heart of darkness

that spawns this open-air morgue

the dust, fire and fumes,

then fly away, horizon-bound

where sunbeams might dance

On my vanishing feathers.

Instead, I can only pray,

give blood,

hug my wife and kids,

and weep.

…………….CJLanger……9/15/01…