Ramblings and Ruminations

David and I saw Tom Paxton perform on Saturday night.  He was a huge part of my growing up years - I can't count how many times my parents took me to see him in concert, and then I started going on my own.  It's been a while - he's been living in England and hasn't been here as much.  I am so glad we went.  It was the end to a perfect day.  We went out east to the North Fork of Long Island, had a wine tasting at a biodynamic vineyard that makes wine I can actually drink (!).  Then we went to some farms stands and an apple orchard, got some apples and cider and then started to meander back west.  We ended up at a fabulous BBQ joint in my former home town and then went to the concert.  It was a great day.

Tom sang this song, which I had never heard before.  It brought me to tears and was an incredibly moving moment during the concert.

The Bravest

The first plane hit the other tower, right after I came in.
It left a gaping, fiery hole where offices had been.
We'd stood and watched in horror, as we saw the first ones fall,
Then someone yelled "Get out, get out! They're trying to kill us all!"

I grabbed the pictures from my desk and joined the flight for life.
With every step I called the names of my children and my wife,
And then we heard them coming, from several floors below,
A crowd of firefighters with their heavy gear in tow

Now every time I try to sleep, I'm haunted by the sound
Of firemen pounding up the stairs, while we were running down.

When we met them on the stairs, they said we were too slow.
"Get out, get out!" they yelled at us, "The whole thing's gonna go!"
They didn't have to tell us twice, we'd seen the world on fire.
We kept on running down the stairs, while they kept climbing higher.

Now every time I try to sleep, I'm haunted by the sound
Of firemen pounding up the stairs, while we were running down.

Thank God we made it to the street; we ran through ash and smoke.
I did not know which way to run; I thought that I would choke.
A fireman took me by the arm and pointed me uptown,
Then "Christ!" I heard him whisper, as the tower came pounding down.

Now every time I try to sleep, I'm haunted by the sound
Of firemen pounding up the stairs, while we were running down.

So now I go to funerals for men I never knew;
The pipers play "Amazing Grace", as the coffins come in view.
They must have seen it coming when they turned to face the fire.
They sent us down to safety, then they kept on climbing higher.

Now every time I try to sleep, I'm haunted by the sound
Of firemen pounding up the stairs, while we were running down.





www.youtube.com/watch