Victim's and Heroes: Written in memory of those who lost or gave their lives due to the tragic events on September 11th, 2001    
                                                1
                 I woke up early from a restless sleep
                 My Sunday falls on Tuesday at the end of my week
                 I drag myself up without a shower or radio
                 ...and step outside...
                 To a cobalt blue sky--the birds were screaming
                 Children head to school as part of their routine
                                                 2
                 I work my way up to the corner for
                 a coffee and a bagel--there was so much more
                 I'd been up 20 minutes, 'how's I supposed to know?' 
                 As I walk inside I see the t.v. burning!
                 ...seven years to build them--seven seconds to earth   
                                         Chorus 1
                  God bless, the victim's and heroes now...
                                               3
                  Jane walks to the subway with a dose of sanity 
                  then scales the massive structure with the vast humanity
                  She turns from her desk as Larry yells at the window!
                 "To think, the very last thing that I'd ever see...
                  ...the nose of a jet-plane tearing into me."
                                           Chorus 2
                  God Bless the victims and heroes now...
                                                4 
                 The call came in about a quarter to nine
                 then Michael kissed his wife and hugged his boys
                 goodbye
                 He was one of eight from Engine 9
                 who wouldn't return that day
                 To run into a building burning from a plane,
                 takes a sort of courage that I can't explain
                                      Chorus 3
                God bless, the victims and heroes now...
                 ...it's time to help their families somehow!
                                               5 
                 To the madmen who are guilty of this awful crime,
                 you ain't nobody's brother...ain't no friend of mine
                 You were taught to watch your back--you better!
                 Mister you're going to pay!
                 Just when you lay your head down finally to sleep
                 you'll feel the sudden pierce of justice sinking fatally 
                 deep               
                                       Chorus 4
                 Avenged by one of our heroes now...
                 ...'cause in this world what goes around comes around
                Though our freedom's fundamental that doesn't mean
                 it's free
                 You can see this in the eyes of the family of a victim,
                 for whom we now should pray
                And for our soldiers of whom we send away...
                          Written by: Thomas Guarino  Oct. 2001
Personal note: I wrote this song in early October 2001 while living in NYC and after witnessing the horrible event on 9/11. Not sure if I would ever even play or write music again, I picked up my guitar and this is what came out. Basically I was attempting to write a kind of musical prayer or hymn. That was 18 years ago. It brought me some needed healing and hope. I also remember crying during much of the writing. The first 2 verses are an accurate account of how my morning started. The rest was roughly based on accounts in the local news and personal reflection. The lyrics are included on the Sound Cloud page. The first 2 verses are an accurate account of how my morning started. The rest was roughly based on accounts in the local news and personal reflection.

Tom Guarino