Ground Zero

Ground Zero
by Hudson Owen

(October 30, 2001)


If it were a god, it would stand tall,
a thousand feet plus from head to toe,
sunk like a pile into the bedrock,
its crown of lattice and twisted steel
poking above the smoldering ruin,


Exhaling the stench of death;
but breathing in fresh flowers
and graciously accepting prayers,
flexing its powers of silence and awe,
as a young god will; and knowing


In its healing heart its purpose:
that cradled in its arms the myriad lost,
once giddy with a soaring view,
will never again, though we replay them,
experience the sensation of falling.

The poem is written after the 911 event in 2001. The poet imagines the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center as a god from the beginning of the poem. The towers, being crashed by two airliners, 'sunk like a pile into the bedrock'. The poet further personifies the towers in the second stanza that it exhales 'the stench of death', breaths in scents of 'fresh flowers' and accept prayers. These three lines depict the scenes after the crash. There was a myriad of deaths, of those on the airliners and those working in the towers. Memorial ceremonies and services were held and flowers were all around the site, from families of the deceased and those who wanted to show care.


The poet goes on to portray the towers as a young god, 'cradled' the deceased in its arms.

This picture enables me to visualise the scene more effectively and one can actually see another airliner about the crash the towers. I remember how horrifying it was when the incident happened and I could not imagine why would people sacrifice lives of themselves and others to archieve these attacks. Then I started to realize the extreme patriotism in some parts of the world, especially Islamic countries, and they regard this way of sacrificing a sacred mission.

'There will be times when nations--acting individually or in concert--will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified' said Barack Obama, present President of the United States, also the Nobel Peace Prize winner last year. It was part of his prize acceptance speech and he believes that violence is needed in exchange of peace.


Do we really need violence for peace? What about Gandhi?