September 20, 2001

a plane ride back

vacation done

here we sit, this flight is grim

every bump, a deep breath in

a sudden drop, perspiring again

goes from forehead to the chin

some other planes, destroyed you see

marred 9/11 and US eternally

in Paris, when I heard the news

my flight was canceled,

I was confused

a whole week more I heard the tale

from Frenchmen, Germans all a-pale

how three planes crashed, the other failed

and CNN replayed the horror

in gruesome detail every hour

so then reschedule did I thus

but this flight I really didn’t trust

and when finally, it came time to fly

I said a prayer that all not die

the whole cabin talked around

their travel tales and planes aground

and when the aircraft finally touched down

all cheered and clapped – now safely home

and when we finally found our own

we hugged tightly, and cried some

for flights that perished, those brave ones.

– Sandra Johnson