Remember: Poems for the 20th Anniversary of 9/11
Anthology: Southern Illinois Chapter—Illinois State Poetry Society
Editor: Kathy Lohrum Cotton
30 Poems ~ Artwork ~ 46 Pages
Price: $6.00
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9798471702806
To Order: Amazon.com


ABOUT THE BOOK:


This volume of poems, poems that recall a fateful day in American history, comes at a
moment when our nation is slowly emerging from another fateful day: the day of the vi-
rus. Then as now, America emerged slowly, from tears and ashes, into a new day. Such is
the character and resilience of our people. Nowhere is this more aptly and accurately
shown than through the poems of Remember. Editor Kathy Lohrum Cotton and the gifted
poets of Illinois State Poetry Society’s, Southern Chapter, showcase the strength of the
human spirit through 30 well-crafted poems supported by poignant photographs depicting
what the nation went through … and in some ways … continues to experience in real
time. As singer Alan Jackson asks in a tender song written the day after 9/11: “Where
Were You” on that fateful day?” [Please note the “From the Book” featured poem.]


ADVANCE PRAISE:


I remember saying to my wife as I left the house for work on 9/11: “The day is so bright
and clear and blue, let’s take a drive in the country when I get home, maybe we’ll see the
early turn of fall leaves.” Then, despite the high, blue clarity of the September sky, dark-
ness, pervaded our hearts as in no other time in our lives. Every year, we pause because
of what happened that day. A prayer from one of the poems in Remember, comes to mind,
“Please send mercy, the kind that falleth as the gentle rain.” That is why this volume of 
superbly crafted poetry should matter to Americans.
—Michael Escoubas, author of Images: A Collection of Ekphrastic Poetry

When the 9/11 tragedy struck, like many in our country, I was stunned. What began as a
day like any other, turned out to be a day unlike any other in my lifetime. Although living
in Los Angeles at the time, the images of smoke and destruction were just as real to me as
if I were physically present. This new collection of poems edited by Kathy Cotton, ushered
me, if only for a moment, into the memories of that day. It is a reminder that I needed; in-
deed, it is a reminder that we ALL need.
—Sharmagne Leland-St. John, author of Images: A Collection of Ekphrastic Poetry


ABOUT THE EDITOR:


Kathy Lohrum Cotton is a southern Illinois poet and editor whose work appears in liter-
ary journals, magazines and anthologies and also as exhibits of poetry combined with her
digital collage artwork. Cotton is the author of two chapbooks; the illustrated poetry
book, Deluxe Box of Crayons; and the 2020 collection, Common Ground. She supports
the art of poetry as a board member of the Illinois State Poetry Society and the National
Federation of State Poetry Societies, and has served as annual editor for three of the Fed-
eration’s books of prize-winning poetry. She facilitates the ISPS Southern Chapter.


FROM THE BOOK:


Where We Were That Day
by Marie Samuel

We were stopped for gas on
That fateful September day
Hoping to hurry on our way to
Shop in St. Louis, Mom & I.

Girls out for the day as in years
Before, we heard the grim news,
And I thought no bridges to cross,
Unsafe—our nation under attack.

So we spoke of fears and turned
For home hearing more and more
How the unthinkable had occurred,
That fateful day all would change.

No longer carefree we face fears
And air travel is now challenged
As never before so henceforth
We are searched and restricted.

So home or abroad we now know
One and all that our strength alone
Is no more, but we must all regroup
With a united front to a new world.

The hate we must strive to conquer
With a fair war to strive to replace
A cultural history of oppression
With progressive acceptance.

So win or lose at least there is this,
Some basic tenets remain for now.
We remain a nation of firm ideals,
Hopeful our democracy still rules.


 

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