story6194.xml

story6194.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I was at work when the tragedy occurred. Horrified and in disbelief, I, along with some of my co-workers watched the event unfold via the internet. Also, on that same day via Delta's Flt. 593 I was too fly to St. Louis, Mo. However, my flight, along with hundreds of others, was cancelled that day. Realizing that my life had been spared, and wanting to do something to commemorate the thousands who had lost theirs-- the next day when I went to work I took a copy of my poem, No Greater Love. I had written it years earlier as a tribute to the soldiers in Desert Storm (and in 2002 it was awarded the Editor's Choice Award by the International Library of Poetry). My co-workers made copies and posted the poem in various areas on our floor, it was even published in the company's monthly newsletter.
A year later, September 11, 2002, during the memorial service held at our church (an internal urging) led me to recite the poem, and I did!


NO GREATER LOVE
by
Zellie Rainey Orr


It matters not the battle?s name
the call that came today,
for someone?s son, somebody?s daughter
to journey far away.

On foreign soil, in desert sand
midst the turmoil of war-
one soldier falls, his dreams subdued
beneath a shimmering star.

She kneels beside him
then marches on
with Stars and Stripes held high,
to a victory which knows
neither color, nor gender,
or the fear in the enemy's eyes.

From dawn ?til dusk, and dusk ?til dawn
a courageous vigil they keep,
each marching to a different drummer-
the vanguard for peace.

Copyright 2000