The Poems
byGloria Baikauskas
The Ghosts
In my mind this morning I saw the Earth
Give rise to a deep chasm on Manhattan
As native drums began to beat,
And bagpipes began to mourn.
Then a bugler called all to arms,
And a fife and drum began to parade.
At that moment a primal scream arose
To chill men's souls in every corner of the world
As the ghosts of all those soldiers who had
Battled there for liberty rose up in rage at
What had been done this day.
As the second tower fell I heard a horrible cry
For revenge by those who had ever tread that ground.
Yet in my heart I wished for a gentler reason to come
A gentler sort of response lest more harm would be done.
So easy for the wrong men to be charged
And innocents punished for all of this.
I would not see more children grieve
Whose parents will never come home,
Yet when those guilty ones are found…
Let no man restrain their fury!
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