The Names, Literary Analysis on a Poem by Billy Collins

The Faces Behind "The Names": A Look Back at September 11, 2001 - In the poem, "The Names", we revisit the colossal loss of life in one of the most horrific events in American History: the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City. the alphabetical classification of those killed is not any way happenstance. The poem was penned by Billy Collins, a native of New York City. He even wrote the poem on a classic day: the first anniversary of the destruction of the twin towers. His chronicles are in every way a personal endeavor, presented to Americans at a time when many of us were still too shell-shocked to do anything but weep. The three groups that the historical attacks on September 11, 2001 forever changed were individuals, families, and those that serve our country.

The first group that we will discuss are the individuals. There was more loss of life on this day than any other one day in the history of the United States. The final count of these victims; men, women and children who gave their lives in a senseless killing was 2, 749. They were ordinary people like Luis Eduardo Torres, a hard working immigrant from Columbia who came to this country with no money and even less English! Like thousands of immigrants before him, he worked his way up from nothing. On the day he died he was a successful Senior Broker at a Financial Institution. We said goodbye to sisters like Jakki Young, a quiet woman from South Carolina who loved to dance and play in the park with her nieces and nephews. Then there are the survivors, who all have a story to tell. Chris Young was on his way down from the 78th floor when he became trapped for 90 minutes in an elevator. He was the last one out of the North Tower before it collapsed. Willie Jimeno is a NYC Port Authority Officer who was helping with the rescue efforts in the South Tower when it collapsed. He was buried alive in the rubble for more than 4 hours before fellow officers dug him out.

The second group we will discuss are the families. They lost Dads like Frederick Kim Han who always called his son Eric at 7:30 every morning to say, "I love you, have a good day, be a good boy, take care of your mom". Catherine Nardella was known to go out of her way to help make life better for those around her, even if it was a simple cup of coffee. Children have memories of heroes like Dean Eberling who chose to wait on a stuck elevator while two women crawled out through a crack in the doors. Just as firefighters reached him and began to cut through the walls to rescue him, the tower collapsed. Phillip Parker had two great loves: his wife Joan, and his 1977 green MG convertible. Joan made the decision after her husband's death to learn to drive the car, a feat she'd never been able to do before.

The last group we will discuss are the men and women who died serving our country. Trained to save lives, they rushed into burning buildings without regard for their own personal safety. Court Officer Mitchell Scott Wallace witnessed the first plane crash as he entered the Supreme Court Building where he worked several blocks from the World Trade Center. Calling his girlfriend, he told her "I have to help". It was the last words she heard him speak. Clinton Davis was a Port Authority Officer who had made several rescues from the North Tower. His chief tried to convince him to rest, but he asked to make one more trip into the fires before taking a break. His "one more trip" proved to be his last, as the tower collapsed just as he entered. The New York Fire Department now has 373 photographs where fellow firefighters once worked. Engine Company 40-Ladder 35 sent two trucks with 13 men aboard. Twelve of those men never returned to the firehouse. Thomas Kelly, a member of Ladder 15, died in the North Tower trying to rescue those trapped inside. Kelly had taken his wife to the twin towers on their first date, while serving as a member of the construction crew that was building the World Trade Center. How ironic that something he built is what ended his life.

Song writer Alan Jackson once asked "Where were you when the world stopped turning"? Most of us can remember the exact moment when we realized that something was terribly wrong that day.

Many remember the shock of seeing that second plane crash into the building or the horrible sounds as the towers came down floor by floor. We all have a story to tell about our memories and feelings of that day. The almost 3,000 people who gave their lives that day...all left a story behind. Firefighter Michael D'Auria had told his sister Christina several months before 9/11: "I know when I die it's going to be in a big way and it's going to change the world" . How right he was.

Faces Behind the Names: A Look Back at September 11, 2001

I. In the poem "The Name" we revisit the colossal loss of life in one of the most horrific events of American history: the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City.

A. The alphabetical classification of persons killed is not in any way happenstance.

1. As a native of New York City, Billy Collins' chronicle is in every way a personal endeavor

2. The poem was penned on a classic day: the first anniversary of the destruction of the

twin towers.

B. Three groups that the historical attacks on September 11, 2001 forever changed were individuals, families and our nation.

II. The first group that we'll discuss are the individuals: the victims and the survivors

A. There was more loss of life on this day...2,749....than any other one day in the history of the world: Ordinary people just like you and I.

1. Luis Eduardo Torres: a hard working immigrant from Columbia

2. The story of Jakki Young.

B. Those who survived: the memories are forever written on their hearts.

1. Escaping the world Trade Center: the story of Chris Young

2. Buried alive: Will Jimeno is rescued after being trapped for more than 4 hours.

III. The second group that we'll discuss are the families:

A. Those in the World Trade Center that day were all someone's parents, children, or siblings.

1. Their Love for their families: Catherine Nardella

2. He called his son every morning at 7:30: Frederick Kim Han

B. The families that were left behind: picking up and going on.

1. A hero to his children: Dean Eberling

2. Joan Parker and her husband's 1977 green MG Convertible.

IV. The third group that we'll discuss is our nation: How did we change after September 11th?

A. Those that serve our country: the firemen and officers who gave their lives that day.

1. Fire Department of New York's Engine Company 40, Ladder 35 sent two rigs with 13 men to help pull victims out: 12 of those men never returned.

2. Court Officer: Mitchell Scott Wallace: didn't even work at the World Trade Center

B. How we've changed since that fateful day.

1. The creation of Homeland Security

2. The United States at war.

V. When the world stopped turning

A. Almost 7 years later, we are still trying to heal.

1. The 1157 families who will never be able to bury their loved ones.

2. The ones we don't really know such as Heinrich Ackerman: His profile remains empty.

B. We will remember

1. Alan Jackson song.

2. Our own memories.