ENGLISH SUMMARY
The title refers to a sensational picture that was taken on 11 September 2001 when the World Trade Center in New York City collapsed after a terrorist attack. The man – Norberto Hernandez – plunged to his death seconds before the entire building collapsed. A newspaper photographer managed to capture this dramatic moment on film and the picture was published for the whole world to witness this sensational event.
Many questions were raised following this tragic event that would change the history of the entire American nation. This picture of a man who is plunging – head first – to his death symbolises all these unanswered questions. His body posture reminds of a huge question mark on the picture as it comes falling down. The first question that people started asking was who this man was. It was later established that he was a Puerto Rican citizen – Norberto Hernandez. He apparently preferred to die by falling to his death rather than to die in the fire that broke out when the aircraft hit the building. This was a rather ironic choice – because both ended in tragic death.
The poet views the falling man in the picture as an angel who is already no longer part of the world – a man who has conquered the pain and vulnerability of the world that we are living in.
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