Let us not in these times of ours
As the years drift by on silken wings
As we distract our minds hours on hours
With the most mundane of things
Let us remember the month day and year
That we were attacked by brutality
And our nation learned how to fear
There in a world of our new reality
Let us remember those two towers
The symbol of our salient might
Of our wealth of our honor and power
That has now vanished from our sight
Into the dust the smoke and the fire
Burning to ashes our spirits our desires
But we must remember and never forget
The bravery shown in the midst of horror
As our citizens were dying ever beset
With the angry flames at every door
The firemen of the Empire State
Laden down with their tools of trade
Faced their foe ever ignoring fate
And labored up with each story made
They struggled to save all they could
Assisted those less able to walk
But heard the screams of stone and wood
And focused their will, silenced their talk
Faced their duty for their city calls
They struggle on as the towers fall
We watched in horror this awful event
Wherever we were that dreadful day
Wondering the evil wondering its intent
And knew loved ones died a terrible way
But in the rubble of steel and stone
Emerged some not destined to die
But none of them were New York’s own
They stayed and helped others go by
Knowing some will be able to stay alive
Though many were less able than we
Thanks to the firefighters they survived
Those brave men the three forty three
Who are forever in our hearts and minds
As true honorable heroes of our time
A tribute to the NYFD - the 343 firefighters who gave their lives.