We are the Children of 9/11

to be spoken.

We are the children of 9/11.

The result of the day when an event so terrible 

Made the adults forget that we were just children

When there were no smartphones to discreetly check 

Just TV carts on squeaky wheels plugged in to the walls

And crying teachers wondering in a town like ours

If we were next. 

They assumed we were just little

And our little eyes don’t normally see

And our little ears don’t normally listen

But that time we did

In the car ride to school a few days later

When little lips formed their first political opinion of her life

“I don’t understand why we have to go to war.”

No response, but for the first time…

“Don’t say that at school.”

And at the time,

War was something we learned about in class

Would there be trenches and old guns

And so-and-so’s dad is going to the war

“I pray he comes back.”

Come back was a given,

He would, right?

People don't die like this,

They come home with a romantic kiss.

At the age of 7 I learned what a Navy SEAL is

“Is he touring a museum or a zoo?”

I didn't understand

Little ears aren't meant to hear

When the grown-ups are so, so scared

They are meant to grow and play and sing

They are meant to let happiness ring

At the age of 8, we learned “Black Ops”

And still no one would explain

“I don’t understand why we have to go to war.”

"Don't say that at school."

They called us a nation united against terrorism

Yes, we were afraid. Terror means afraid. 

Little eyes saw shots fired and heads cut off

Instead of playground games and

The nation said to be patriotic. 

Support the troops. Write them letters. Send them food. 

But again, the adults forgot that we were children. 

They were the grown-ups

And on the news were bones of children just like us

Celebrating a victory over a terrorist group

But what about the bones of those children?

"Don't say that at school."

By 12 we knew of Guantanamo Bay,
Drown him in water, they would say
That's torture, that's torture! Stop it right now
But they wouldn't, it was wrong
Well, the orders came down

You can justify anything if you have
Someone else to blame.
"Don't say that at school."

By 16 we knew of war crimes and that
We were guilty. So guilty.
How could anyone forgive the pain
That we caused.

And then it was over. Just like that.
No winning, no purpose,
and no success.

We are the children of 9/11.
We will no forgive, and never forget.
The pain they caused, friends and family in heaven,
Over a war they began when we were just seven.