9/11 Cover Insert

Note: BLR’s first issue was off to press when 9/11 occurred. The printer graciously allowed us to add a last-minute note on the inside of the front cover.

To our Readers,

The recent attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon has devastated us all. Here at Bellevue we are still attempting to come to grips with the enormity of the tragedy. As it has for the past 250 years, Bellevue Hospital has been a center for both medical treatment and emotional confluence. The pictures of the missing cover the walls of our hospital, with unsettlingly detailed descriptions of height, weight, clothing, jewelry, tattoos, and dental work. The faces stare at us with a disquieting poignance, reminding us that 5000 is not merely a number. In between the fliers have now appeared poems, ribbons, flowers, and handwritten comments from the onlookers. It is impossible to walk by and not have one’s eyes and heart commandeered by this display of humanity.

In the face of the events of last week, so many of our life activities feel trivial. We at the Belleview Literary Review, like so many others, have had trouble focusing on the continuation of our work. When the Twin Towers were attacked on September 11th, the BLR was already in press. We were unable to change any of the journal’s content to reflect how our world has changed. We were left with the decision about whether to go ahead with our planned reading on October 7th, which was to celebrate our debut issue.

After much discussion, we have decided to proceed with the reading.

Having billed ourselves as a ‘journal of humanity and human existence,’ we are almost obligated to go forth, despite how awful humanity can appear at times. Literature and the arts have traditionally served a special role in our society, responding to great tragedy and helping us to reflect upon overwhelming emotions. By no means can we expect the arts to provide the elusive ‘closure,’ but we can contribute to the continuing tradition of art in our culture. In this light, we will go forth with our reading. Although the content of our journal and the readings cannot specifically address this crisis due to timing, we envision this gathering—and the Bellevue Literary Review—as a testament to the continuing spirit of humanity, to Bellevue’s role in this crisis, and to all those who have been affected by this tragedy.

September 17, 2001

The Editors and Staff of the Bellevue Literary Review