Poem - Folding Clothes 9/11/2001

[Jeanne]

Folding Clothes


Folding clothes
hot from the dryer,
I won't see two flaming towers
collapse
like camping cups.

Colleagues
working in that sky
an hour ago could lift
their eyes from balance sheets
to read approaching weather.

Folding clothes,
I won't imagine belt
buckles, shoes, cell phones --
or where they flew who only meant
to fly to the next airport.

Breathing odor
of overheated dryer,
I can't begin to clean those streets.

My hands smooth a t-shirt,
straighten a red-checked cloth
from yesterday's picnic,
build tidy stacks
of shirts, shorts, underwear,
beach towels
just home from vacation.


Jeanne Voelker
9/11/2001

[[deleted user]]

This is wonderful. A beautiful way to remember one of the most tragic incidents in history.

[Jeanne]

Thank you, Candy. The whole country was stunned. What could we do?

Here's the intro I wrote that's on my GR profile:

Folding Clothes, 9/11/2001

I wrote 'Folding Clothes' on the morning of 9/11/2001. The poem illustrates my immediate reaction to the horror of 9/11. The television stations were all showing repeated footage of the plane crashing into the tower. As I was folding the clothes, I realized that this mundane chore was providing me a tiny bit of normalcy and comfort. When I finished folding the laundry, I wrote the poem. The poem looks better 'centered' -- it then looks like a tower. I published this on the New York Times Abuzz under the name 'Seattle friend' and learned some time later that it was read on a radio program in another city.

[Steven]

Hey Jeanne, maybe you should try out a Halloween poem for Deena Warner also. You and Vincent could colaborate or something. Your both very talented writers

[Jeanne]

Thank you, Steven. Who is Deena Warner?

[Steven]

Deena Warner is a graphic designer that I tried to put a link to on one of Vincent's posts. She does a Halloween card every year that she finds an author to write a story that goes with the artwork. There is a list you can sign up for this free Halloween card. After you get your card you get to go to her site and read or print and read the story that goes to the card. It's the one thing I look forward to all year...yep I'm simple :o) Deena is also the person that does the web design for HorrorWorld.com if you want to check that out.

[Jeanne]

Hmm, I have a 'stalking' poem that might work for a Hallowe'en theme. Can you give us the link?

[Steven]

http://www.deenawarner.net/contact.htm

hopefully this link works. for some reason her home link to the site is having problems. You should be able to contact her through this link though.