Ground Zero

"They were our neighbors, our husbands, our children, our sisters, our brothers, and our wives. Our countrymen, and our friends. They were us." -Mayor Bloomberg
  

    This weekend while I was in New York, I visited Ground Zero. It's hard to describe what it was like because so many different words come to mind when I think about it; beautiful, peaceful, calm, haunting, eerie, and so many more. Something I found amazing were all the little details that were put into the memorial. To begin, the names placed around the pools are based on where the victims were on 9/11. The placement of the names also represents the relationships that they had with others who lost their lives on that day. Many of the victim's families requested that their loved one's name be put near someone specific. For example, one family requested that their son's name be placed next to his close friend that he sat next to at work. Another detail is the survivor tree. This tree was planted in the 1970s in the World Trade Center plaza and was damaged on 9/11. Despite the damage, the tree was nursed back to health and returned to the site where it stood before the attacks. It represents hope and resilience.
    In addition to the tree, hope was emphasized all around the memorial. There were constant reminders in the pamphlets and signs that implied how important it is that the American people stay united, continue to rebuild, and never lose hope. 
    While I was there, I bought a book called "September Morning" which contains poems and readings that have been recited during the 9/11 memorial ceremonies. The quote from Mayor Bloomberg on the top of the post is from this book. Each page is moving, but here is an excerpt from one of the poems that stood out to me, it is called "The Names" written by Billy Collins: 

Names etched on the head of a pin. 
One name spanning a bridge, another undergoing a tunnel. 
A blue name needled into the skin. 
Names of citizens, workers, mothers and fathers, 
the bright-eyed daughter, the quick son. 
Alphabet of names in a green field. 
Names in the small tracks of birds. 
Names lifted from a hat
or balanced on the tip of the tongue. 
Names wheeled into the dim warehouse of memory. 
So many names, there is barely room on the walls of the heart. 


Below I have attached pictures from my visit. Please feel free to comment on Mayor Bloomberg's quote, the poem, or a picture.