The Sound of Silence

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I wanted to write a 911 post to express my admiration of the people of New York City, the FDNY, NYPD, President Bush at our country’s most horrific hero.  (Yes, I said admiration of President Bush.) “I can hear you!  The rest of the world hears you!  And the people who knocked these buildings will hear all of us soon!”

I wanted to share how ten years ago I was 7 months pregnant teaching reading skills to my second grade students when the principal came into my classroom and quietly told me that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center.

I wanted to share how numb I felt the rest of the day and I believe I was in shock to protect my unborn child.  I honestly do not remember much of the rest of that day, except for being glued to CNN for days and weeks that followed.

I wanted to share that every year I watch documentaries that retell that events of that day and I cry like I should have cried 10 years ago.

I also wanted to express my feelings of admiration towards the tastefully done, very beautiful and symbolic memorial at Ground Zero.

But I could find a poignant way to write any of those feelings.

And then, I watched the tenth anniversary memorial yesterday and Paul Simon’s performance of Sound of Silence reflected all my emotion, feelings and memories of September 11 in song.

And once again, I cried like I should have ten years ago.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/Tw1788n_uIE?version=3&hl=en_US]

 

Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
‘Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

“Fools”, said I, “You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you”
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls”
And whispered in the sounds of silence.



 

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About the author

Denise
From start to finish, Denise is Run DMT, a Tampa Bay homeschooling mom on the run trying to maintain an easy pace through it all between races and raising three beautiful, brilliant adultish kids (ages 23, 19, 14). In 2007, I discovered a passion for running and in February 2015, I completed my tenth marathon. I continue to train for a variety of races and even host annual 5K. In 2023, I became a certified group fitness instructor and teach P.E. in my homeschool co-op.

14 comments

  3. Gone Bananas says:

    What a great song! Love and prayers go out to all the families affected by 9/11! May the memories of that day be replaced by good memories and may they someday find peace!

  9. dedastudios says:

    Beautiful! Thank you for sharing this wonderful song! I too admire President Bush! I am reading Dick Cheney’s Book …. In My Time …………. it is a fantastic book!

  10. Clare says:

    Hey Denise!
    So great to meet you at the 911 5K at the weekend! Here is a link to my running blog so that we can stay in touch: http://www.clareisrunning.blogspot.com. I did the post but didn’t include the picture of us since it was a particularly hideous one of me and no amount of photoshopping would help the situation. You looked great btw…sigh… ;). I’m doing the Tampa Police 5K on Oct 8th next and will be following your journey to your next marathon on your blog. It would be great if we can synch up on a run (I think you are doing the Frankenfooter so I may be able to make that one?) sometime!
    Great to meet you and keep up the great blogging!
    Clare ([email protected])

  11. JamericanSpice says:

    Yes I’ve been crying all day yesterday. It’s so powerful and you cannot help but to be moved. Then it makes me want to shake people who doesn’t recognize the value of our American way of life and want to give it up and away to foreign influence.

    Perfect song.

  12. xmasdolly says:

    What a great pick! Choked me up that’s for sure. Paul Simon what an icon, and what a perfect song for the occasion. Man, did he age, but the man has more talent in his baby finger then most in their whole body. Great find, Girlfriend. Thanks for sharing.

  13. Cathy Kennedy says:

    Denise, great tribute to the heros and victims of the 9/11 horrific tragedy. What a perfect song to be sung on the 10th anniversary of the many innocent lives lost to such a reprehensible act of violence at the hands of religious fanatics(terrorists). That day we were all touched personally whether it was directly or indirectly, we were all affected. None of us will ever be the same. We need to always remember what took place on our soil that day and never allow it to be forgotten so it will never happen again. God bless America!

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