The Bravest - Tom Paxton

The first plane hit the other tower, right after I came in

It left a fiery, gaping hole where offices had been

We 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 up, 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

And 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 didn’t know which way to run, I thought that I would choke

A fireman took me by the arm and he pointed me uptown

And, «Christ», I heard him whisper, as the tower came roaring 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

Of firemen pounding up the stairs, while we were running down