In the Aftermath- 9/11 Through a Volunteer's Eyes, commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11 in September 2021, i s a journey through the author's experience working at the WTC Ground Zero Relief Project, Spring Street Warehouse that procured and delivered supplies to the first responders and recovery crews at Ground Zero clean-up and recovery sites. The journey continues on to the present with memories of people whose lives were impacted by the horrors of 9/11: those who died, those who restored, those who mourned, those who volunteered, those who survived. Those who prayed. Both History and Poetry - Recommended by the US Review of Books as "Nostalgic and poignant, honorary and honest, with a voice raw and uniquely its own, this book captures the immediate and distant aftermath of a tragedy still prominent in American (and world) minds." T hrough these poems, Beth SKMorris hands us today's lesson in never-forgetting. In the Aftermath: 9/11 Through a Volunteer's Eyes by Beth SK Morris Poetica Publishing book review by Nicole Yurcaba "Subway destroyed, they fled east on foot, heads covered with ash, some wearing masks, some still bleeding from the debris" This cathartic, eye-opening account of the tragedy that 9/11 bestowed upon the United States transports readers to Ground Zero, where ash and debris fall, where loved ones disappear, and where for years to come, the day's physical, emotional, and psychological scarrings refuse to disappear, let alone fade. In this haunting collection, the poem "By the Numbers, 6000" reduces humanity to "body parts recovered, sorted / into segments small enough / to fit in a test tube." Readers find themselves face-to-face with a wife who "buries her face in her workbook, lowers her eyes" as she confesses the potential loss of her husband and the consequences his disappearance bestows upon her and her daughter's future in the poem "The Lesson." Meanwhile, toxic xenophobia permeates American society and shocks readers to their cores as they experience it for themselves in the poem "The Physics of Ripples." This collection's power lies in its exploration of the often unmentioned—the lives and experiences of countless volunteers who risked life and limb to transform Ground Zero from a place of debris and rubble to one of pristine streets and reconstruction. As recollections and memories combine, their release onto the page and full disclosure to readers who may or may not remember that infamous day act as a great reckoning. The author's experimentations with form and spacing create the sensations of reliving and then releasing the experiences depicted in the book, actively engaging the readers in the narrator's catharsis. In "At the Doctor's Office" and poems like it, readers learn of the health crises volunteers and emergency workers face. Nostalgic and poignant, honorary and honest, with a voice raw and uniquely its own, this collection captures the immediate and distant aftermath of a tragedy still prominent in American minds. RECOMMENDED by the US Review 16Share Return to USR Home ©2021 All Rights Reserved * The US Review of Books This review was written by a professional book reviewer with no guarantee that it would receive a positive rating. Some authors pay a small fee to have a book reviewed, while others do not. All reviews are approximately half summary and half criticism. The US Review of Books is dedicated to providing fair and honest coverage to all books. In the Aftermath- 9/11 Through a Volunteer's Eyes (Review by THE BOOK COMMENTARY In the poem "Side Effects," Beth SKMorris retells the thoughts of a rescue fireman, in heartbreaking fashion, who takes a break from the burning 'human methane' to change his attire and rush back to 'the pile'. With resounding clarity and undeterred determination, Beth SKMorris describes her journey as a volunteer for the WTC Ground Zero Relief Project, Spring Street Warehouse, which worked to provide and deliver tools, equipment, and health and safety and comfort supplies to the first responders working in the ruins of the 9/11 tragedy. In the Aftermath - 9/11 Through a Volunteer's Eyes is a series of poems in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the devastating incident of the fall of the twin towers on 9/11. The book follows the stories of hundreds of lives that were impacted deeply due to this tragedy of epic proportions. Beth's words are powerful and they delve deep into the private lives and personal losses that the families affected by the tragedy felt and fought through. She weaves her past experience as a volunteer beautifully with the stories of the people she interacted with and delivered supplies to at the Ground Zero site. Stories of collective loss, hardship, bravery and unending resilience of Americans are brilliantly captured and retold as carefully crafted poetry as all of America came together to help and support each other. This book deals with the themes of loss, death, family, and the heartbreak