Morning at the Monument

Empire writer Anne-Marie Oomen read the following poem this morning—September 11, 2021—at the annual September 11 ceremony of remembrance at the Glen Lake Fire Department.

Her poem, “Morning at the Monument” (a roughshod sonnet) was inspired by this 20th anniversary and a study of the monument, a shard of one of the Twin Towers that is memorialized in Glen Arbor.

Morning at the Monument

Twisted beam, that inner muscle, a plate, 

two spikes, one with concrete still attached, 

small twins, doubled pride, now detached, 

separate and partial, as if picked from a garden, 

planted in new water, and look!  After

two decades, it seems to belong here, 

seems—is it possible after such pain—

to follow the sun, braver still, as if

it had opened like a palm to new duty, 

bloomed toward light with double stamen,

responding again. I swear, it will take only

the touch of a fingertip, a finer courage

to come alive, grief still attached, rubbled yes,

but quieter, transformed by fire, newly formed.