911

A fire ripped open the sky,
scorching the hearts
of the world.
Stunned in silence we watched,
not believing,
unable to grasp
what lay in the ruins.
Something great was lost,
indefinable,
ineffable,
far beyond the destruction
and death,
an ideal.
A page turned,
a chapter ended,
the new one
too painful
for the story.
Marching forward,
we took backwards steps,
trying to force redemption,
while sifting for closure
in dust that could never settle.
There was nothing
that could begin
to replace
what was taken
right before our eyes, 
and in the moment
we blinked,
the last remains of
our innocence
was stolen away.