Never Forget 9-11-01 Poem by Phil Panebianco

Walking through the dust and debris that now line the streets of New York City. Gazing at the unimaginable scene of twisted metal, shattered glass and exhausted workers.
It's like a scene out of a Hollywood war movie. A scene caused by hatred, by monsters, that have taken away the hopes and dreams of innocent lives. Monsters that have torn apart families throughout the world. I have seen it all on T.V., but to see it up close and personal, there are no words to describe it.This sickening feeling that consumes my body and mind, will not soon go away. Armed guards stand at attention on every corner. People with looks of horror in their faces stand in amazement, at the sight of the worlds most devastating attack.
I watch as people dig through the rubble with their bare hands.
Slowly piece by piece, looking for signs of life. Few have been pulled alive and too many have left in body bags. But we will not give up hope and we will not stop searching. I don't know if the reality of this has actually hit me yet. Even though I have seen it all with my own two eyes, I still cannot believe it has happened. It is the most horrific thing I have ever witnessed. This is a time, the entire nation will remember forever.
It will go down as the biggest disaster this country has ever seen.
I cannot imagine the fear these victims felt. Because just being here to witness the aftermath, scares the hell out of me. There are so many unanswered questions that surround this sickening event.
Why was this done? Who is responsible? How will we retaliate?
These answers cannot come fast enough. I just hope and pray that these attacks are over and we can once again have a sense of security. Also, that we will never have to witness something like this ever again. These savages have taken away one of our nations largest landmarks. They have taken a piece of every human being away. But they cannot kill our hearts and souls. They cannot destroy our spirits.
This recovery both physically and mentally, will take time. But we must and we will overcome this. I feel a sense of pride, that I was here to contribute my efforts. A sense of pride, to watch people from all trades and all walks of life, bond together to lend a helping hand. To reach out in any way they can.
We are all heroes in one way or another.
i am proud of the way people united as one, for one cause, in the name of the United States of America.

' I wrote this after spending a day working at Ground Zero. My mind, heart, soul, and spirit will carry those images with me forever. I spent over a month there, and I was proud to help in any way I could.'