Will We Learn?

I wrote this on 9/12/2001

It was a sad, sad, day today
a whole nation knelt to pray
as we mourned the many deaths
of those who were so innocent

What will become of us I ask
as our leaders take up the task
of trying to find the ones who'll pay
for all the tragedy today?

Will we now see a new World War
worse than all that came before
will all our dreams go up in smoke
like those who died there in New York?

Can we ever really learn
from the past and then return
to an age of love and peace
learning lessons from history

I look around me and I see
faces of shock, revenge and grief
more killings follow everyone
this is a war that can't be won

Children heed these words I say
learn your lessons here today
don't make the same mistakes we've made
make the world a better place

But I fear it's far too late
we must surrender to our fate
we've made our beds now we must lie
how many more of us must die?