For Bill Biggart

A passing taxi cab driver called out

Words that would make Bill Biggart

Run to his apartment

But not to hide from the horrific event

 Happening in the city he called home

He seized three cameras and made a decision

To suck in the smoke that had replaced the American air

Just to get that last picture

Surrounded by towering buildings

Bill could see the beams being destroyed

On the two biggest buildings up a head.

Snap

Click

Went the camera

People reemerging from flames

Rendered confused

Covered in ash

With their faces forming expressions

Only a photograph can describe

Snap

Click

Went the camera

An ambulance gallantly storming out of the darkness

Out of the smoky areas of light

Towards a man standing lit up in the moment

Hoping the seconds he spent in that rubble

Would not be the last of his life

Snap

Click

Went the camera

Men carried an ailing individual

Who laid with eyes loosely closed

His face telling the story better than any poet can

A man near the front of the group points forward

He does not wander for he knows the way

They moved attempting not to breath the air

Moved with purposeful strides

With each step their clothes collected a little more dust

The man behind the camera

He managed to move forward

Towards the buildings as they burned

As they fell to the ground

As America stood frozen

Until he was underneath

Looking up at ensured death

His hands brought his instrument up

He was right there

Watching a daring and dauntless fireman sprint forward

Towards a disheveled yet bright and golden mess

Snap

Click

Went the camera

His last picture

Ashes to Ashes

The buildings fell down

Covering the land with sorrow

Unforgettable and lasting sorrow

Bill was buried in the debris

And his cameras

Were turned a murky color of brown

However

They did not go undiscovered 

One had photographs on it

Photographs pleading to be seen

To be remembered

Horrendous

Heartbreaking

Heroic pictures

That would go on to be preserved in our memories

Most of  us couldn’t know what it felt like to be there

But we could at least understand

That there were others that did

Because one man

Took one last picture