The sky took back the space the towers borrowed
While the destructive forces rendered them unstable
Three thousand souls ascended the holy rubble
While a nation looked on in sorrow
Millions ’round the world stood stunned and shaken
As those who hijacked the Koran cheered on.
All Americans grieved and shared their losses
As flags unfurled across the land.
Celebrities and charities raised money for the relatives living
While Springsteen sang about the Rising.
Laguna Woods author and poet Charles Redner recently wrote this poem to honor the 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and the thousands of lives lost.
Since it was an attack that drew the United States into a long war, Redner felt that presenting the poem on the International Day of Peace, Sept. 21, would be appropriate.
He also wrote “War No More,” a longer poem inspired by historic conflicts such as the Vietnam War.
“I think a poem could stop a bullet,” Redner says. “The arts and humanities are important for the moral well-being of humanity.”
Concerned Citizens of Laguna Woods celebrated Peace Day at Clubhouse 7 with a program called “Poems for Peace,” featuring readings of poems by residents and two guest poets. After the readings, guests enjoyed a wine and cheese party where they mingled with the poets.
Carol Glenn, president of the Old Pros theater group, organized this year’s program with Concerned Citizens member Latifah Taormina, an originator of the concept of deploying poetry for world peace.
“We put together an interesting mix of poems and music and concepts to make it festive,” Glenn said.
On tap were poems read by residents Barbara Goldstein, David Dearing, Lee MacMorris, Robbi Nestor, Sunita Saxena, Glenn and Taormina.
The two guests were award-winning Iranian poet Rooja Mohassessy (“When Your Sky Runs Into Mine”) and California performance poet Emmanuel Williams, who added a dramatic flair to his reading.
Goldstein, 94, read the opening poem written by…
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