All across America,
people stop to pray.
We are of every shape,
color and faith;
our faces imprinted
with sorrow and determination,
we gather to remember the dead
and the living.
We mourn the unthinkable loss of life
and grieve for those waiting for news
of their loved ones.
We are heartened by
the generosity of our citizens;
uplifted by the rescuers
who work beyond exhaustion,
powered by hope.
Our diversity is our strength;
only together will we persevere.
© Ellie Maziekien
91601