Phoenix Arising

It was their death cry that brought me here
The collective gasp of thousands as towers fell
Souls burst free from broken bodies
Rising up through dust and ash
No one there to sing them home.

It was their pain that brought me here
To listen to the telling and retelling
Bound in horror and humanity
To those who searched in vain
I carried their stories home.

It is my pain that brings me here
Cleanse me now with sage and cedar
Purify my wounded heart and mind
Cover these lips with wine and broken bread
Grant me grace to serve again. Amen.

This prayer poem was created by the Reverend Delayna Taylor McNac in response to the disaster on September 11, 2001. The Rev. McNac, along with the Rev. Anita Philips, was part of a disaster response ministry team sent from the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference who worked with Mohawk recovery workers and others at the Ground Zero site.

The Rev. Delana Taylor McNac is a Deacon in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference.