TRIBUTE TO THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING

13 years ago, on April 19, 1995, the Murrah building in Oklahoma City was bombed. I was there on the 21st, and stayed for the next two weeks, and saw a lot of the damage and the heroes who sifted through it first hand. I wrote this poem in tribute to that national tragedy and to those heroes.
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“the itsy bitsy spider, ran up the wate…”
“Jesus, Sarah, what’s that nois…!”
“Let’s get a cup of coffee, John, I need to stret…!”
“Have a seat ma’am, I’ll be right with yo…!”

First came the thunder! BOOM!! BOOM!! So loud it shook the ground.
Splinters of glass flew sideways, the floors turned upside down.
Filing cabinets, coloring books, walls and desks and chairs,
were there, then in the twinkling of an eye, they simply disappeared.
Ceilings crashed upon the floors! Then Down! And Down! And Down!
The sky is falling. The Sky IS falling. “Oh Goddd...” “mommmmmy..”
“DAMNDAMNDAMN!”

Dust and fire and blood and screams all overlapped with pain
as a hundred distant sirens ripped the morning air in twain.
Then from the crumbled concrete, from the forest of twisted steel
came men and woman running, terror hot upon their heels.
None of them knew what had happened, but though they didn’t understand
each one that could, picked up a child, and held it as they ran.
The news went out on TN, even the TRIAL was set aside.
“There’s been bomb in Oklahoma,” every commentator cried.

And people asked the question, “Is it New York?” “Do they mean LA?”
It can’t be Oklahoma City, there must be some mistake."
But it WAS in Oklahoma! And soon the question changed to this,
“If the Heartland isn’t safe, it there a place at all that is?”
“It was a federal building,” the announcer said, but his worst words were yet to come
“There was a day care center, filled with kids!” America went numb!
The nation held its breath and glued its eyes upon the screen
as picture after picture flashed for all the world to see.

And everybody thought it was a foreign power game,
Nobody could have known the Boy Next Door would be to blame.
Wednesday passed! And Thursday! Then Friday morning came the shout
that another beating heart has just been found and carried out.
But when the cameras that showed body heat, suddenly went dim
All agreed that the chances were beginning to grow slim.
Saturday morning, 9:02, passed the seventy-two hour line
The crews all asked for vapor rub, dry socks, and a bit more time.

A picture in the paper, on Saturday was spread
of a tall young man, all dressed in orange, short hair upon his head.
Surrounded close on every side by agents, lest someone
should decide that Judge and Jury lived, in an Oklahoma gun.
He was whisked away and carried to a place known but to few
John Doe one was captured! Where the hell was John Doe two?
A cold wind blew, and raindrops fell, as even Mother Nature cried
so the workers dug a little harder, and spit in Nature’s eye.

Each hour they grew more weary in their bodies and their minds
but they kept on moving rubble, one handful at a time.
Time and time again they rallied, showing no desire to quit
as with bleeding hands and tear filled eyes, they drew closer to The Pit!
On Sunday out of Washington, flew the Eagle and his Wife
His face was grim and his eyes flashed as he spoke about the strife.
And the Preacher, tall and somber, stood father-like and calm,
as all the cameras focused on a tiny red haired mom.

And the crowd stood up and cheered and gave the fire crews a mighty hand
As they walked with gallant four legged friends, who seemed to understand.
Time was now the enemy, and as the cruel hours ticked away
they gave up on the Miracle, but they never lost their faith.
And they never stopped their digging, for the job would not be done
till not a single body, lay beneath the building’s ruin.

They were HEROES! Heartland Heroes! One and all they stood the test
Oklahomans and Americans! Standing tall among the best!
Heroes! White and Black and Red! Man and Woman! Young and Old!
They came and faced the Reaper, and when they counted up the toll,
They knew two things! Our country would forever bear the scars
and those who died would always live inside these heroes hearts.
Americans first and foremost, see how proudly they all stand,
Oklahomans and their neighbors! True Heroes of the Heartland!


Copyright 1995 Harpe All Rights Reserved. No part may be copied without the author’s prior consent.

What a wonderful tribute, Don. Thank you for sharing it here, and making sure we all remember.

Great tribute Don - sad and powerful all at the same time. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Don,
thought provoking and well done.