I first published this poem in 2012, remembering a sail into New York Harbor only days after September 11, 2001—the altered skyline, the smoke upon the water, and the journey back toward home.
New York Harbor, One September
… a September memory, 2001
September comes
with its whimsical wind,
and the bittern’s barbaric yawp
echoes across the creek,
a snowfall of seagulls perch
upon the jetty,
watch
as we hoist our sails
at the mouth of the bay —
the sloop floats like paper
blown
by a little boy’s breath,
past inlet coves and marinas:
we reach the Harbor,
the sun’s golden glint turns to rust,
the air is clothed
with subtle shrouds of grey
for weeping —
far off into the distance the skyline
is a ghastly dream,
toothless
of two towers,
and the salt air mingles with smoke
and burning steel,
ashened mortar,
the putrescence
of flesh and flowers —
we turn around,
maneuver the wind,
the charts and tides,
to reach our own secluded harbor,
cradled by the arms of moonlight—
we throw down the anchor,
fall asleep under a cupola
of infinite constellations.
by D. G. Vachal. © 2012
*** photography by slgckg @Flickr Commons
That felt so vivid and authentic. Lovely poem
Thank you so much, Valerie. Yes, this was an actual experience, sailing to the New York Harbor a few days after 9-11 happened. All my best, Dee
Powerful poem! ” toothless of two towers” brought back that day. Even though I live up here in Canada – I cried that day. It was the first time my daughter saw me shed tears. ~ Wendy
Thank you, Wendy. Yes, I remember that day so vividly, too! Blessings, Dee
Dearest Dee, for those alive on that day, our lives are forever measured in the before and after ~ in the moments eclipsed by the loss of innocence. This is beautiful and sad…….but love is no stranger to either. *sigh* ~ Love you, Bobbie
Dearest Bobbie, Unthinkable moments happen in our lives sometimes, like meteors coming out of nowhere. Thank you for your beautiful thoughts. Love, Dee
I sat in front of the television that day as it happened, and cried.
Yes, Lester, me too, and for the first time in a very long time, I was so full of outrage in the midst of tears. Surely one of the most salient and heart-wrenching memories of a lifetime. Dee
Moving…well done
Thank you so much. I am thrilled to know that you love sailing! 🙂
Another wonderful poem to touch minds and hearts. I’d love to see your poetry in book form too…no doubt you have a collection to publish…and hope you do that. Many thanks. Shelley
Thank you, Shelley for your lovely comments and wonderful suggestion! Yes, you are confirming what has been going through my mind the past few weeks, and I am in the process of looking into this. All my best, Dee
i love the paper blown, the breath, before witnessing the destruction, words that add to and prepare for the fragility of your feelings. wonderful…
Such a thoughtful and touching perception into the words of the poem! Thank you so much, Lorna! Love, Dee
If only one can maneuver the wind… A powerful poem ! Keep penning.
Indeed, one can only hope to harness the wind’s force; none can restrain it. Thank you so much for reading the poem, and for your lovely visit!
Reblogged this on lilies, sparrows and grass and commented:
… a September 2001 memory
What a beautiful poem. So solemn; so profound. Its haunting beauty gives me chills. I absolutely love it.
Thank you, Janet. I wrote this last year, remembering the vivid sights of the devastation on a sailboat in NY Harbor. Best wishes, Dee
A beautiful poem, a painful memory forever etched in our hearts. You pay a wonderful tribute.
Thank you, Ellen. It is a wonder how pain brings out the words.
Beautiful words and poem to remind us of the tragedy that befell our country and New York harbor. I reblogged a memorial post of mine too, that I did for last year’s anniversary of the photos and story I shared of our trip there in 1998.
Thank you, Joyce, and I am glad to have read the memorial post you reblogged today. I enjoyed reading about your 9-day Northeast trip, and was particularly struck by the photos you took of the Twin Towers.
Those photos have indeed become sentimental ones to us now. It is hard to believe too, that just four months prior to the 9/11 tragedy in 2001 my husband, Wayne and I were on another trip to Israel with our pastor and people from our church and never would have believed what event would shake the country and world months later.
Yes indeed 9/11 shook the country and the world, it is hard to find words to describe it.
Reblogged this on Clefts of the Rocks and commented:
We are a great nation, with a Great God.
Thank you for reblogging, Pastor Gil. Amen, we are a great nation with a Great God.
Your very welcome.
What a skyline changing tragedy that.
Well captured in verse.
May we find peace and brotherhood,
Eric
Indeed, amazing how a change in the skyline translates to incomprehensible tragedy.
Amen, may we find peace and brotherhood.
Thank you, Eric, for sharing your thoughts.
Dee
What a poignant and powerful poem remembering this awful event. The last stanza is particularly beautiful and stands in stark contrast to the events of that day – very emotive.
Thank you so much. It is uplifting to know that you felt the poignancy of emotion in this piece. My best wishes, Dee
Reblogged this on CHRONICLES OF PRINCESS DAISY MAY PUSS CAT 6 & 3/4'S and commented:
Blessings as always for your beautful inspiring writings 🙂
Thank you so much for reblogging, Lizzie. As always, your presence is an honor and a blessing.
A deeply moving poem. ❤️ The imagery carries grief, memory, and the search for peace so beautifully. The journey from a wounded harbor back toward a quiet sky is especially powerful. Thank you for sharing such a meaningful piece.
Thank you so much, Anowar. I’m deeply grateful for your thoughtful reading. You expressed the poem’s movement beautifully—from a wounded harbor toward a quiet sky, and toward the hope of peace beyond grief. I’m glad it spoke to you. 💗🙏
It’s my pleasure 😊❤️
That contrast between the peaceful sailing trip and the sudden, heartbreaking sight of the altered skyline is deeply moving, Dee. ‘Toothless of two towers’ and ‘cradled by the arms of moonlight’ are such hauntingly beautiful lines. Thank you for sharing this memory and poem. 🙏✨
🙏🏼😔🕊️ Profoundly stirring memories and gut- wrenchingly painful. Still, we observe, we sail, we lay anchor, and look up…”under a cupola of infinite constellations…” The ending is deeply comforting, Dee, an epitaph to a beautiful but terrifying September day…we will never forget.
Thank you, Susan. Your words follow the poem’s journey—from shock and grief, through the stillness of the harbor, toward the consoling vastness of the sky. I’m grateful that the ending brought you comfort. Yes, a beautiful yet terrifying September day, forever etched into memory. We will never forget. 🙏🕊️
I forever remember that perfect bright September day that rocked the world. Thank you for commemorating it with such poignancy. God bless America 🇺🇸❤️🙏🏼 from a forever Canadian friend
Dee!!! This is a gorgeous tribute. I was in high school (my junior year) and I remember just paralyzing disbelief and shock gripping me all day. The bravery and heroism of so many regular guys and gals, and the united front we were all able to form was the silver lining. I pray ceaselessly for America to remember who we are today. ❤️🤍💙
Dear Chrissy, thank you so much—not only for your beautiful words, but also for sharing the poem. I can just imagine how you felt that day when you were only a junior in High School. Those days remain vivid for so many of us: the disbelief and sorrow, but also the extraordinary courage of ordinary men and women. That unity was indeed the silver lining within an unimaginable darkness. I join you in praying for America to remember who we are today and who we were to one another then. ❤️🤍💙
That contrast between the peaceful, quiet sail and the sudden, heartbreaking sight of the altered skyline is so deeply moving, Dee. ‘Toothless of two towers’ and ‘a cupola of infinite constellations’ are such hauntingly beautiful, unforgettable lines. Thank you for sharing this poignant memory. 🙏✨
Thank you so much, my friend. The strange stillness of that sail, set against the devastation beyond it, has remained with me all these years. I’m deeply touched that those particular lines spoke to you. Thank you for receiving this memory with such perceptiveness. 🙏✨
That quiet imagery is unforgettable, Dee—it holds so much weight and stays with you long after reading. Thank you for sharing such a deeply personal and poignant memory with us. 🙏✨
A beautiful tribute and agonizing memory with a spiritual ending! I don’t think we knew each other back then. But I see I commented. Years later and the “toothless” scene still triggers horror!
Thank you, dear Ellen. It seems our paths had already crossed before either of us remembered—how moving to find your earlier comment still here. That “toothless” skyline remains one of the most searing images from that sail, and I’m deeply touched that the line has stayed with you through the years. I’m so grateful that you returned to the poem and found hope in its spiritual ending. ❤️
Such a moving tribute, Dee. Thank you for putting words to something so hard to hold.