Contributor Series 1: 9/11
9-12
By Danielle Cross
(written September 12, 2009)
The writer dedicates this poem to the loving memory of her husband’s
cousin Tommy, who died in the disaster, and to all those who mourn.
Ashes.
To ashes
we pour our tears,
sculpt familiar faces with frantic
hands, paint them with bleeding hearts.
Color has drained from this world, this gray canvas reflecting our hope,
our futility.
We must be artists now, and we carry on, creating frescoes from the ground,
from metal
feather dust. To dust remaining
devoted, even now
as we breathe
and it scatters
to the
wind.
Danielle Cross’s poetry (reserving judgment) has appeared in vox poetica in 2009.
I think this expertly done. Often when I read a poem that repeats a classic phrases like this ont does, the power remains in the original words. In this case the poet has given us so many new things, “paint them with bleeding, … metal feather dust, … dust remaining devoted.” for example. Danielle has indeed given voice to all who mourn. Thank you.
Stunningly poignant Danielle and touched very delicately with hope. Just beautiful.
Thanks Kay and Julie for your kind words:)