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THE PRICE OF OUR FREEDOM.
by Michael Zittel

The price of our freedom is not too high.
Yesterday, September 11th 2001,
We began to pay for the life
of our Bill of Rights
In the new century.

The people who brought
This carnage to our home
Will be repaid in kind.
But, be patient and understand:

Every heart carries evil,
But the price of freedom
Requires it caged in nobility,
honor and empathy for the world.

Every generation spawns malcontents
But the price of freedom
Requires us to keep them in our friendship
Away from the seduction of harms intent.

Every nation breeds monsters
But the price of freedom
Requires them restrained with compassion
Even when compassion means death.

The price of freedom
Has been charged
A wrong and malicious toll
By the shadows of our own guile.

America has been too proud
And arrogant about the way
Of the world, the cruelties
And suffering of other nations.

We have all made thoughtless remarks
About third world countries
And not thought twice
About the horrors
Rampant in the world
At home and abroad.

But now we know.

Now we know
With the ugly facts
Of yesterdays nightmare
Screaming "FIRE!"
In our front door.

The world as we knew it
Changed in an instant
.
The debt of our freedom
Has not been paid in full,
But will be in the days
And years ahead.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed
From time to time with the blood
Of patriots and tyrants.
It is its natural manure."
-- Thomas Jefferson.

The time has come and that is
The price of our freedom: Blood.

God forgive those who trespassed
Against us, and forgive us
The trespasses we will
Invoke against them.

September 12, 2001
Michael Zittel