Those Who Chose to Jump

Many have asked for a copy of Helen Wallace's poem from Father Chris' sermon on Sunday and Helen has graciously consented for us to post it here.   This poem was published in 2007 by Ashland Poetry in Helen's book, Shimming the Glass House which was the winner of the 2007 Richard Snyder Publication Prize.




Those Who Chose to Jump

               The Twin Towers, 2001



Did you trace

   your children’s names

        in ash imagining



their new class photos

    the disheveled

        sweet wisps of hair



and did you despite

    smoky fumes smell again

        the coconut lathered



on your back at the pool

    your mother in a

        wide-brimmed hat



your sister sporting

     orange water wings

         and you age four poised



to attempt a perfect dive

    your body leaning forward

         toes curled around the hot tile



And there reaching out

    toward all that blue—

         your father’s arms