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Planez

Planes
'I slept a few hours last night
In hopes I would see her in my dreams.'
Tears trickling down his cheeks
He shook his head
'So far, I see nothing.'
-Akbar Bolourchi


One day of nine and eleven
In a millennia not yet two
Playing on the lawn of history
On toddling legs, giggling at
The sparkle of the world
As it sheds sunshine
Over Manhattan skies
Glistening fingers of glass and steel
Poking through the floor of paradise
Tickling Gabriel's feet
New Yorkers zip through routines
Comfortable as stone-washed jeans
Whispering wind lapping at the outers
The tongues of beached waves on ankles
A nation's spirit basking in innocence


Logan International Airport: Boston
On a morning of numbers
Sisters cut from the same soul
Paige Farley Hackel and Ruth Clifford McCourt
Paige's God daughter, Ruth's baby, Julianna
Four years worth of playing and dreams
Between them
Skipping
Tiny hands smothered
In the grips of two mothers
A link of love
Destined for the ray soaked soil
Of the Golden State
Hearts fluttering, excited about
The Kingdom of Magic

 
Paige
Spiritual Pilgrim
Bright eyes seen
The worst of
Addiction's dark days
Reduced them to triathlons
On quest to
Chopra's Center of well being
In La Jolla Ruth
Would visit her girlfriend
Introduce Juliana to
Mickey Mouse
Support Paige at
Chopra's with love
Unconditional as the
Beauty of Rainbows
Separated
By fate's cunning
Onto twin jets converted
Winged beasts
Masquerading as
American Airlines
Flight 11 United Flight
175

Choirs of weeping angels in crimson robes
On clouds, singing a cappella
The trembling of souls


One morning of numbers
Illusions, pairs


Touri Bolourchi
A life spent nursing the sick
Smile: exquisite jewel
Said I love you in six languages
Returning to
Akbar's embraces
On the ground 11: 30 am
LAX


New York Twins
North and South
220 stories between them
425,000 cubic yards concrete
200,000 tons of steel
12 million square feet office space
Teeming with people-bees
In honeycomb


Pride American lions
Towering above their brethren
Manes dancing in heaven
While little men in hijacked jets


With stolen lives
Seek sky perched crowns
Glittering
A thousand sunlit eyes


Eleven
Swift beast / bird knifing air
Ticking bomb
Planted in the mind
Mohammad Atta
Commandeered
The bird's cockpit brain
Forced it down a heisted course
Aimed at the Apocalypse
Chamber of breaths
91 humans
Eyes glazed with why
Lips quivering supplications
Some kneel between seats seeking
Jonah's faith from the whale's belly
O God
Where are the F-17's, the Stealths
Where is Tom Cruise
Memories cling to earthen heartbeats
Regrets of words unspoken
Hugs unfilled, goodbyes unwhispered


Paige
Wishes kisses to those she cannot hold
Promises to meet Ruth, Juliana on gold paved streets
Bosom full of acceptance
She's left love wrapped ‘round souls
Brightly hued ribbons
Pink and orange, yellow and roses
Lavenders and blues
Soothing to the senses
Caribbean waters


8: 45 am EST
Juliana's uncle
Ronald Clifford
Too early for his meeting
Pacing the lobby floor
Of Twin North
SHAKING


As the beast that devoured
The other half of sister's soul
Smashes into the northern face
At 300 miles per hour


'…And the sun became black as sackcloth
Of hair and the moon became as blood.'
Revelation 6: 12


On a morning of numbers
Lives blown out candles on birthday cakes


One seventy-five
Abominable bullet
Powered with 65 people
Splitting currents
Hurling towards the jugular
Of world trade
Thick with foreboding
Oxygen masks dangle
Juliana, poor David, only three
Read the adults'
Haunted gazes of disbelief
Gasps
Fingers covering mouths
Realize
Something bad is in this place
Their ears detect muffled cries
Last words into palms
Cradling technology


Ruth
Puts her arm around
The girl's small shoulders
Lovingly strokes her hair
Bows, kisses her forehead
They squeeze each other
How do you tell a child
There will be no Disneyland

Touri
Staring into the place
Called home 69 years
So very small
Angelic symphonies
Massaging the temples
Wispy images of Africa, Europe
Metallic doves falling
Feels like a dream
Smiles, Goodbye Neda, Roya
Bobby, Kayvon…Oh my beloved
Akbar…My Beloved…
Looking out this window
Watching God watching me


A tear dribbles down the cheek of the world
Radiant as the setting sun chiseled into the twilight


9: 03 am EST
Less than 20 minutes after
Flight 11 smashes into
The North Tower
Flight One Seventy Five
Pierces the South


We are in a meadow of lilies
Lush grass and spruce
Tummy of
Earth's mother
Stable beneath our bared feet
There is a breeze
Soft as my daughter's kisses
Caressing our eyelids

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