Nine One One, a double etheree

a form and subject exercise

hate

drove ten

to an end

in fiery death.

our innocence lost.

our apathy jolted

by a one-two sucker punch

from a barely known enemy.

bodies falling in desperation.

images burned into our crying eyes.

an event that led to introspection.

when symbols of our wealth and strength fell

we stopped to reevaluate.

are we wise enough to see?

they provided us an

opportunity

to exercise

the golden

rule with

love

Reviews

[R J Askew]

Looking through your titles this one instantly drew me. Tis a serious subject. Also only last night 'Top Gun' was on UK TV and it made me wonder how dated a view it gave of America's self-image. The blow when it came was not from a known enemy in a Mig fighter, but from a far-more difficult enemy to deal with. Can love win? What a massive question. I doubt it. I think that everything will be taken down if it is allowed to be. But how far do we have to go and what do we have to become for our way of life to survive? As an outsider, I found your poem a little glance into America's soul and hurt.

[spence]

I find it difficult to believe that this has yet to be reviewed! I've not seen many poems in this form, but this is easily the best I've happened upon; in terms of subject matter, vocabulary and style. The love/hate polarisation adds weight top the message of peace you succesfully convey. Most 9/11 poetry I have read is based either in conspiracy or revenge and so it is refreshing to see a different philosophy that agrees with my own assertion that the future, (and the present that informs it), is what matters. How do we go ahead? Do we focus on rights and wrongs- the west is at least as culpable as the east for the sustained threat of 'terror' in my opinion, two wayrevenge and retribution...? Or do we forge ahead a differnet route by seeking to bring an end to a self-perpetuating cycle that amounts to little more than sensless acts of violence and pointless loss of life?
I like this poem and form very much, take care, spence