Bridging The Gap... a re-post for 9/11

How to Join	Member's Area	Private Library	Search	Sanctuary		Login
Main Forums	Discussion	Tech Talk	Mature Content	Archives	A home without a wall, Our haven without ends, A circle we all call Our Family of Friends!

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

0 posted 2002-09-11 08:39 PM

~Bridging The Gap~

Flower children wearing rags
turn on,tune out... take a drag

the seventies brought us lack of trust
Vietnamese war and Watergate bust
with patriotism out of style
we didn't trust our leader's wiles

we questioned the need to fight a war
our flower power... hard to ignore
our parents' generation was the un-hip bourgousie
but what we didn't know, our forebears could foresee

they'd seen the great depression
two world wars taught them hard lessons
the generation gap increased in size
we thought our elders most unwise

but on a radiant September morn
the gap was bridged as fear was born
in the grips of fiery terror, orange streaks across the sky
our aging flowers withered now, we no longer wonder why

why our parents loved the stripes and stars
we understood their unseen scars
amongst the ashes, tears were shed
war declared,three thousand dead

the generations forged a bond of caring
of truth and trust and tragic sharing
the flower children's leaves are wilted
our blossoms now are slightly tilted

instead of proudly wearing rags
the flower kids are draped in flags
~

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

[This message has been edited by Madame Chipmunk (09-11-2002 08:40 PM).]

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

1 posted 2002-09-11 08:44 PM

but on a radiant September morn
the gap was bridged as fear was born
in the grips of fiery terror, orange streaks across the sky
our aging flowers withered now, we no longer wonder why

why our parents loved the stripes and stars
we understood their unseen scars
amongst the ashes, tears were shed
war declared,three thousand dead

the generations forged a bond of caring
of truth and trust and tragic sharing
the flower children's leaves are wilted
our blossoms now are slightly tilted

instead of proudly wearing rags
the flower kids are draped in flags
~

and in our wear of red - white - blue
our patriotism is true...for you...

Mistletoe Angel

Member Empyrean

since 2000-12-17

Posts 32816
Portland, Oregon

2 posted 2002-09-11 08:45 PM

(tears fall down my cheeks) Oh Lyra, I understand what you are saying, that so many of our modern youth has kind of taken His trust for granted and failed to understand what their predecessors went through, now after this terrible tragedy I think they all know how they truly feel and together these drenched flowers can start to reach for the sun and hope to grow again slowly, sympathizing to the victims and their families, reaching for hope! (wipes tears) God Bless You, sweet friend, my heart joins yours and all of America and our friends today, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Lyra, thank you for sharing!

May love and light always shine upon you!

Love,
Noah Eaton

(God Bless America)

"Underneath your clothes there's an endless story..."

Shakira

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

3 posted 2002-09-11 08:48 PM

Thanks so much, Karilea...
At least one good thing came out of 9/11...
I think we have become more patriotic and I thing that the generation gap between our generation and our parents' is slowly closing because of the shared tragedy.

~ hugs in sadness and survival

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

the_loner_23
Member Ascendant

since 2002-06-08

Posts 5479
Jacksonville, Florida, USA

4 posted 2002-09-11 08:48 PM

This is awesome.

Cold hands means a warm heart

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

5 posted 2002-09-11 08:51 PM

Thanks so much, Noah... I think the youth of today (your generation) is doing great...
But we (my generation) had lots of issues which divided us from our parents... and I think that a lot of these issues came clear on that awful day.

~ hugs from a flower chipmunk

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

6 posted 2002-09-11 08:51 PM

Thanks so much, Julie...

~ lots of hugs

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

Magnus

Member Laureate

since 2001-10-10

Posts 14135
South Carolina, USA

7 posted 2002-09-11 08:58 PM

How did I ever miss this....guess I wasn't
around that day....

Lyra, this says a lot about a lesson we
all could learn from our parents who
suffered through a tragedy far greater than
any we have ever experienced.... I hope
the death of these innocents has taught us
something about life....

Balladeer

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-05

Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA

8 posted 2002-09-11 09:04 PM

WOWOWOW!! What a wonderful pair of closing lines! You done real good here, chipmunk lady

Yes, it is true....attitudes change when war comes close to home....or home....it's called reality.

Fantastic, Lyra

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

9 posted 2002-09-11 09:13 PM

Thanks Barry...
It seems that when we are young and invincible... our elders are always wrong!
But as we grow older, we realize that we have lots to learn from them.

~ many hugs

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

10 posted 2002-09-11 09:15 PM

Thanks Michael....
Isn't that the truth... It feels a lot different in our own backyards...

~ hugs from a flag draped chipmunk flower kid

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

paladin

Senior Member

since 2001-08-05

Posts 930
Pensacola,Fl.

11 posted 2002-09-11 09:49 PM

Almost lost in the scene of the memorial at ground zero a young woman puts a single rose in the chain link fence.Flower power still lives.

paladin

Nan

Administrator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-05-20

Posts 21191
Cape Cod Massachusetts USA

12 posted 2002-09-11 10:25 PM

And seeing those young people draped in flags is a wonderful thing - You've captured a generation-bind that has brought us all together as One Nation.. One World.. under God... Nicely done, dear chipmunk lady..

ShadowRider
Senior Member

since 2001-07-14

Posts 1038
USA

13 posted 2002-09-11 10:45 PM

MunkSter sweet gal
when Freedom of our life is on the line
the division line between youth's naiivty
and elder wisdom
merges as one line
of Pride and Preservation.

Truly an outstanding sentiment and poem,
MunkSter. Deepened my understanding of
what i was feeling today that confused me.
jeff

N orth Carolina Girl
Senior Member

since 2001-12-04

Posts 962
NC,USA

14 posted 2002-09-12 09:52 AM

Lyra,

This was beautiful! I tried not to watch tv to much on 9/11 but it was hard not to.I did my share of crying as I`m sure alot of people did.I hope you`re feeling better.TAKE CARE!

Love,

Juanita
"Live,Love and Laugh"

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

15 posted 2002-09-16 10:44 PM

Thanks for telling me about that flower, Paladin... its so good to know that flower power is still around.

~ hugs and cheers for flowerkids

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

16 posted 2002-09-16 10:49 PM

Thanks so much, Nan...
I guess if theres ANY good at all to come out of this horrible situation, its that respect for parents seems to be back in vogue and the generation gap... at least the one between our generation and our parents' has almost closed...
leads me to think that there must be something positive about EVERYTHING, but sometimes we just can't see it until all of the fog lifts.

~ hugs from one foggy chipmunk tonight

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

17 posted 2002-09-16 10:52 PM

Thanks so much, Jeff...
I couldn't see this for quite a while afterward, but looking at pictures in Time Magazine and Newsweek and in the newspapers and on TV, there would always be young and old working side by side...
When I was in my twenties... no self respecting flower child would ever wear a flag anywhere, or even display one on their house or on their car... and now everyone is doing it. Its so nice to see the return of patriotism once more.

~ patriotic flower child grins and hugs

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

18 posted 2002-09-16 10:55 PM

Thanks so much, Juanita...
I had my surgery on Sept.12, and afterward, I couldn't do anything but watch TV... and we were still being bombarded with all of this stuff. I guess we really do need to see it, even if it is the stuff of nightmares.
I am feeling better enough to sit at my computer, but I am still very tired.

~ loving hugs

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-16

Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA

19 posted 2002-09-17 10:47 PM

Well written Madame...James

Madame Chipmunk
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-05

Posts 8296
Michigan

20 posted 2002-09-17 11:09 PM

Thanks so very much for your reply, James

~ chipmunk flowerchild hugs

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled" Gwendolyn Brooks

	⇧ top of page ⇧
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.