Will we watching
That great unfolding
Live to the same understanding
Of the 343 responding?
Two decades ago
For the world to see
An uncertain future
Humanity’s brotherhood to be.
Was their heed
For those in need
Too great
For us to take?
Courage
Strength
true to all our nature makes
Keep standing
That clear Tuesday morning.
How then are we
to fathom
The depths
Of their commitment?
Is there anything,
Anyone may add
To their confinement?
Only to the certainty
That life is all
No cause
No risk too great
When any life
Is at stake
Trust in their partners
Integrity of their companies
Keep standing
That blue Tuesday morning
What then are we
To ponder
At that great cost?
Who may calculate
Such a great loss?
To tolerate
The vicissitudes of fate
Ours too in the late
Not in our understanding
Nor in our comprehending
Always Remembering
To keep standing
That unforgettable Tuesday morning
Are we not unlike
The 343
Knowingly anchored in
Our unknowing futures
Accepting time and chance
As ours to take
Freely choosing
One’s own way
Ours too remain
The same
Seemingly equal in
Our strength
And our will
To keep standing
And doing the good
We are led to be
And Being useful in our living
As we are in our giving
— A Firefighter