Home >> Volume 7, Issue 01

In a National Geographic archive of video interviews, reporter Mike Sheehan describes looking up to see a woman in her late twenties, perhaps thirties... crawl out a window to stand on a jagged beam of some sort while the windows behind and around her exploded... The woman blessed herself, then looked up to the sky, stretching her arms out to it. Then she jumped.

9/11/01

William Luse

The angels will be busy today,
their charges take flight
with pigeon and dove;
I see them lifting
to left and right,
with the fire behind
and Heaven above...
My people await me way down there,
and steady me
With upturned eyes,
who'll sift my ashes
with the city's dust -
once this wind has ceased to blow -
and honor me
with ragged cries
once they see
I've placed my trust
in the fire behind
and Heaven below.
Take my hand now, Guardian dear,
the time has come
to embrace them all,
people, streets,
the buildings tall -
wait - Remember,
in my husband's ear
to whisper
as he sleeps tonight
I put my trust
not in the air
but in your wings
designed for flight
(with fire behind
and Heaven out there),
for all I've left
is the God of love,
Who will forgive
this willing fall,
which tells the fire
and Heaven above
of nothing
but how I love you all.