History

• Themes


  • Fear
  • Innocence
  • Humanity
  • Identity
  • Nature
• Structure


  • Irregular structure throughout the poem, free verse being used with no particular consistency in stanza or line length whatsoever. This is very effective because it helps to convey the confusion and strong changes in emotions that could be felt by someone hearing the news, with their thought process becoming erratic as they attempt to process the information. 
  • Visual representation of the destroyed and damaged twin towers, or as a broader representation of confusion and shock within society
• "sand spinning off in ribbons along the beach"

  • Pleasant imagery acts as a contrast to the negative thoughts and that continue throughout the rest of the poem
  • hints to the future negative subject matter through the use of sibilance.
  • “spinning off” could be representative of either the destruction of the towers or metaphorically representing the potential society as a whole now has to lurch to negative actions and to ‘spin out of control’.
• "the muffled dread of what may come"


  • The highly emotive “dread” shows the emotion of the situation for the narrator, but coupled with “muffled” makes it sound more sinister and intimidating, with a lack of free expression.
  • This could be particularly fearsome because it indicates a level of distortion, and therefore lack of clarity which further emphasises the confusing experiences.
• "snails shells; shreds of razorfish, smudges of weed and flesh on tideworn stone"


  • Parallel to debris from twin towers - finding human life in the rubble like finding life on the beach
  • momentous event is contrasted with the sweetness of playing with a child on a beach.
  • We might wonder if the child’s name, Lucas, is ironically similar in sound to the Air Force base, Leuchars, which was on high alert for possible attack, and where the ‘war on terror’ might be initiated.
  • Also makes it seem more personal
• "the rose or petrol blue of jellyfish and sea anemone combining with a child's first nakedness"


  • Pollution of the natural world - romantic nature
  • The description of the natural world in terms of colour, the ‘rose or petrol blue of jellyfish and sea anemone’, is lyrical and beautiful. It contrasts with the earlier ‘quail grey’.
  • The reference to a ‘child’s first nakedness’ is of course a reference to innocence and vulnerability. This was the feeling many people confessed to after 9/11.
• "I am dizzy with the fear of losing everything - the sea, the sky, all living creatures, forests, estuaries"


  • Philosophical - looks at humans relationship with nature
  • The war of terror and the war between humans is killing the environment - self-centred of us to continue
  • The 9/11 terror attack generated feelings of fear in many people, in that new insecurities were brought to the surface. Violence and our abuse of the environment can destroy what we value.
• "through everything attentive to the irredeemable"


  • Doing everything for the children
  • 'Irredeemable' - unforgivable - the knowledge that people can do awful things - we should seek out our dreams while looking out for and caring for everyone as we go
  • The ‘irredeemable’ is a Christian reference — Christ is known as The Redeemer. We may fear what can be lost, but we can be aware and try to preserve what is precious and meaningful.