Everybody knows where they were that morning. 9:00 am Tuesday September 11' 2001
By Jude Kyrie
*It was Tuesday morning In the inner city school the children's faces We're glowing in black brown white and all colors in between.
We were discussing poetry and the meaning of things that make us feel some emotion. A fire engine bell. A police siren. A church bell on a Sunday morning.
The little girl her bright black face Embellished with the biggest whitest smile. Said she always cried at sad music playing. I think she had poetry in her soul More than anyone in the room.
Then a plane hit the towers And a second plane. We heard it but did not know what it was. But it made us feel dark something bad had happened.
Then from the window the ash filled the sky. It poured in an endless deluge Blocking the sun They looked at me. I am their teacher
their eyes are what I remember. Wide open full of fear and questions. The school warning system said we were in lockdown. Lockdown, an unknown thing when I was in sixth grade.
a boy started crying it's a bomb he cried. The others started to join him. thier white enlarged eyes looked at mine for comfort. And the answers I did not have.
The darkness was folding in the city No blue sky no trees across the playground. Just grey dark ash thick as a fog.
What do you feel I asked Tell me what you feel. Anger miss Fear miss Terror miss Sad miss Lost miss Afraid miss It went on
We played find someone and hug To half your fears. My own fears as large as Thiers. One child asked if we can pray. Prayers were banned at school now. But I said does anyone know a prayer.
My little black poetess Started slowly unsure . But the others joined in Even me.
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; If I die before I wake, I pray for Lord my soul to take. Amen
We stayed in lockdown until the afternoon. And shared lunch pails Worried parents came to pick up their children.
In the thick ash laden air They walked out one by one seeking their Loved ones in the throng.
A line of tiny ghost. Four children were left without parents. They looked into my eyes. And saw the only answer I had As the tears flowed down my face.