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Photo by bharath g s on Unsplash

Poetry | September/October 2021

I Named Her Nina

By Edytta A. Wojnar

The radiologist left in a hurry,  
an ultrasound humming, the screen  
turned at an angle I couldn't see— 
my belly cold and sticky with gel. 
 
When the doctor pointed  
to the image explaining  
what went wrong, I caressed  
the baby I couldn't sustain.  
 
I lost a lot of blood that Monday  
at the Chilton Memorial. 
Back home, bent in two 
I rocked and cried.  
 
The next day a friend called  
before nine a.m. urging me to turn the TV on. 
On the screen, flight 175 
and the South Tower on fire. 
 
My husband came home late 
that night. His ashen hair  
smelled of burnt flesh.  
Nobody mentioned Nina. 

4 replies on “I Named Her Nina”

Amy Baskinsays:
September 17, 2021 at 10:01 am

Edyetta, I’ll mention her every year now. Your poem cuts deep.

Reply
Monika bielinskisays:
September 17, 2021 at 10:56 am

Deeply painful
And not
Forgotten. Even if seemed like by the Events of that day.I remember it…

Reply
Eileen Van Hooksays:
September 18, 2021 at 8:58 am

I’m so sorry Edytta. Nina will not be forgotten. My daughter’s first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage and I have never forgotten him. Love, Eileen

Reply
Marjie Giffinsays:
September 23, 2021 at 12:44 am

I suffered three miscarriages so l feel the pain and loss you endured. Never timely, but especially untimely for your experience. I’m so sorry.

Reply

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