Remembering New York

Tribute to the New York Firefighters

“Keep climbing” says the captain,
“Up through the smoke and smell”
“Keep climbing” says the captain,
“I think I heard somebody yell”
“Keep climbing” says the captain,
“Alive or dead, not ours to tell”
“Keep climbing” calls the captain,
“Forget about your pain.”
“Keep climbing” shouts the captain,
“We have a few more floors to gain”
“Keep climbing” yells the captain,
“We’ll bring them down again”
“Keep climbing” cries the captain,
“If I can, so can you”
“Keep climbing” orders the captain,
“Right now I need the best from you”
“Keep climbing” screams the captain,
“Forget about those sounds.
“It’s just some girders twisting and some concrete falling down”
“Keep climbing” prays our captain,
“Eyes raised, heading for the top.
“And when you’re tired and feel like quitting, remember them. They didn’t stop.”
“Keep climbing” whispers the captain,
“Climb up to that light.
“Right up to that sunshine. No smoke to smell, no fire to fight.
“Keep climbing” sings the captain, “That angels hand will lead the way.
“Rest now” sighs the captain, “You did your job today.”
~Author Unknown~

Beastie Boys - An Open Letter to NYC

Two Thousand One Nine Eleven.

Two thousand one, nine eleven

Five thousand plus arrive in heaven

As they pass through the gate,

Thousands more appear in wait

A bearded man with stovepipe hat

Steps forward saying, "Lets sit, lets chat"

They settle down in seats of clouds

A man named Martin shouts out proud

"I have a dream!" and once he did

The Newcomer said, "Your dream still lives."

Groups of soldiers in blue and gray

Others in khaki, and green then say

"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine"

The Newcomer said, "You died not in vain."

From a man on sticks one could hear "

The only thing we have to fear...

The Newcomer said, "We know the rest, trust us sir, we've passed that test."

"Courage doesn't hide in caves You can't bury freedom, in a grave,"

The Newcomers had heard this voice before

A distinct Yankee twang from the Hyannisport shore.

A silence fell within the mist Somehow the Newcomer knew that this

Meant time had come for her to say

What was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day

"Back on Earth, we wrote reports,

Watched our children play in sports

Worked our gardens, sang our songs

Went to church and clipped coupons

We smiled, we laughed, we cried, we fought

Unlike you, great we're not."

The tall man in the stovepipe hat Stood and said,

"don't talk like that! Look at your country, look and see

You died for freedom, just like me"

Then, before them all appeared a scene

Of rubbled streets and twisted beams

Death, destruction, smoke and dust

And people working just 'cause they must

Hauling ash, lifting stones,

Knee deep in hell But not alone.

"Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, Yellowman

Side by side helping their fellow man!"

So said Martin, as he watched the scene

"Even from nightmares, can be born a dream."

Down below three firemen raised

The colors high into ashen haze

The soldiers above had seen it before

On Iwo Jima back in '44.

The man on sticks studied everything closely

Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly

"I see pain, I see tears, I see sorrow - but I don't see fear."

"You left behind husbands and wives

Daughters and sons and so many lives are suffering now because of this wrong

But look very closely. You're not really gone.

All of those people, even those who've never met you

All of their lives, they'll never forget you.

Don't you see what has happened? Don't you see what you've done?

You've brought them together, together as one.

With that the man in the stovepipe hat said

"Take my hand," and from there he led five thousand plus heroes,

Newcomers to heaven

On this day,

Two Thousand One, Nine Eleven.

~Written by Paul Spreadbury~