THE RESCUER CRIED,
THERE'S ONE OVER HERE.
NOW THE DIG GREW INTENSE,
ALL FORGETTING THEIR FEAR.

LADY HANG ON,
WE ALMOST CAN SEE YOU.
DON'T GIVE UP THE FIGHT,
LET YOUR COURAGE SHOW THROUGH.

A FIREMAN DUG,
SIDE BY SIDE WITH A COP,
HANDS BLOODY AND SCARRED,
NEVER THINKING TO STOP.

WITH HANDS TORN AND RAW,
AT THE WRECKAGE THEY CLAWED,
PLEASE LADY DON'T DIE,
THEY EACH PRAYED TO THE LORD.

AS EACH HOUR PASSED,
THEIR STRENGTH NEVER FELL.
NEVER GIVING UP HOPE,
DESPITE LIVING THIS HELL.

AS DAYS TURNED TO NIGHT,
AS NEW TEAMS ARRIVED,
NOT ONE MAN WILL LEAVE,
TILL SHE'S RESCUED ALIVE.

THE RESCUERS GROW,
EACH LENDING A HAND.
TODAY ALL RACES ONE,
IN THE RUBBLE THEY BAND.

AS NIGHT TURNS TO DAY,
THEY CAN NOW SEE HER FACE.
THROUGH THE SOOT AND HOT TEARS,
SHE STILL SHOWS HER GRACE,

YOU SOON WILL BE FREE,
SO LADY DON'T CRY.
YOU WILL STAND PROUD AGAIN,
FOR THE ONES THAT DID DIE.

THE RESCUE INTENSE,
SHE SOON WILL BE FREE,
TO RETAKE HER PLACE,
AND REIGN LIBERTY.

NOW FREE FROM YOUR BOND,
YOUR RESOLVE IT HAS GROWN.
THE DEEP WOUNDS WILL HEAL,
TO A NEW STRENGTH UNKNOWN.

THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD WIN,
TO OUR KNEES WE WOULD FALL.
EVEN THOUGH THEY DREW BLOOD,
WE ARE STILL STANDING TALL.

NOW THE GIANT AWAKES.
FORCED TO SHOW OFF HER MIGHT.
BRUSHES THICK HOT SOOT OFF,
AND READIES TO FIGHT.

THEY THREW THE FIRST BLOW.
A SURPRISE SNEAK ATTACK.
THEY BLOODIED OUR NOSE,
THOUGHT THE NATION WOULD CRACK.

OUR LEADERSHIP STRONG,
MADE IT EASY TO COPE.
NEVER GIVING UP FREEDOM,
NEVER GIVING UP HOPE.

ONCE A NATION DIVIDED,
A NEW STRENGTH NOW GROWS.
A PRIDE BORN WITHIN,
ALL AROUND US IT SHOWS.

FIFTY STATES NOW AS ONE.
JUST LAST MONTH FILLED WITH FRIGHT.
MANY NATIONS TOO JOIN,
TO WIN FREEDOMS FIGHT.

SO LADY DON'T WEEP,
FREEDOM NEVER WILL FALL.
TAKE YOUR PLACE ONCE AGAIN,
STANDING PROUD STANDING TALL.

Anthony Petrocelli (NYPD)