[Paddlewise] Need Help, not kayak-related

Hi,

I have a request that is not kayak-related but I know that a lot of people
on these listserves are pretty plugged in and may be able to help.  It is
for any information on a song I heard late last month.

Please bear with me.  Here is the background:

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the NY Shorewalkers, a local walking
group dedicated to the right of innocent walking passage along the city's
waterways, held its traditional Walk Off The Turkey (WOTT) event, an 11 mile
walk along the Hudson River from the Battery up to the Little Red Lighthouse
under the George Washington Bridge.  This year's WOTT had a particular
poignancy to it because of the events of 9-11 . . . our walk took us within
100 feet of where the Twin Towers once stood.

The day was cold and rainy but still some 30 people or so showed up at the
southern tip of Manhattan including Pete Seeger, who sometimes accompanies
part or all of some of the traditional Shorewalkers events.   I wound up
being designated "leader" for the trip by the fellow who heads up the
organization because I had been down near Ground Zero earlier and so knew
what to expect and where we could walk in that area.  I proceeded to give a
running commentary on things while we approached the site.

I got us as close as we possibly could to Ground Zero and also walked us
through where there were impromptu memorials of tens of hundreds of teddy
bears, photos and notes.  Seeger took this all in with a most sad face as he
loped with his long legs from photo to photo and over to the fence
separating us from the smoldering site.  After drinking in the somberness of
what we were sensing, Seeger turned to me and said "Ralph, have you heard
Tom Paxton's song about the Twin Towers that he sung on the Garrison Keillor
show?"  I said no.  Seeger then tilted his head back and, in a low, shaky
voice began to sing the song.  He would sing a verse or two, stop, search
his memory and sing another one or two.  Our group was completely mesmerized
as we crowded close to him to hear him sing; we could see the dew of tears
glisten in his eyes.  The song was so intense that frankly I got lost in the
words about seeing the planes hit, the people rushing down the stairs as the
firemen climbed higher and higher.  I can't remember much of them since the
impression was so overwhelming.

It was a memorable experience: the legendary Pete Seeger singing privately
to us such a heartrendering song of sacrifice and human triumph right at the
site that has forever changed history.  There were two fellow kayakers with
me.  Mary Ann Furda from the San Francisco Bay area who contacted me earlier
about coming to NYC to paddle, where to find a soup kitchen to work in, etc.
(I also had told her about the walk); and Suellen Nelson, a local paddler
who helps out on many of our kayak escorts for Manhattan swim events.  We
three shared a hug in awe at the unique experience and our own special bond
as kayakers.

I have been trying to find a source for the words of that song.  I did some
web searching but have found nothing.  I have no idea if Tom Paxton has
recorded it.  I doubt if Seeger has although he should.  If anyone can help
me find the words or anything else about the song, please contact me.

thanks,

ralph diaz
--
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Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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