In the poem "The Names," by Billy Collins, the speaker calmly remembers people's last names in alphabetical order as he notes them wherever he goes. At first it seems like he's playing to see how many names he can think of. After reading the entire poem several times, it becomes clear that it refers to the people who died on 9/11. Collins uses imagery, a serious tone, and similes throughout the poem to show appreciation for the memory of the victims who died that tragic day. In the first stanza, it is established that the poem is written in the first person, when "I" refers to the speaker, who illustrates this person's point of view regarding the tragedy of 9/11 during an entire day of events. The speaker begins by creating a calm atmosphere such as opening a long list of last names. In line 1, he says, “Yesterday I lay awake in the palm of the night.” He describes the night as a tropical tree gently swaying on a quiet beach. He calmly watches the delicate raindrops slowly drip down his windows until they disappear in “A light rain came in, aided by no breeze, / And when I saw the silver enamel on the windows” (2-3). For a brief moment, he enjoys going out into his garden at dawn to forget the pain that death brings when "In the morning I went out barefoot / Among thousands of flowers" (11-12). In the second stanza, the speaker views images in the starry night and a muddy coast that symbolize people experiencing death-defying events. In line 8, the speaker states “Names printed on the ceiling of the night.” It refers to the pattern of the stars that draw large figures of Greek divinities, such as Mars which is linked to strength, energy...... in the center of the card......the rassy cemetery is the place where they are placed the gravestones so the victims will not be forgotten. The speaker also reminds the reader that relatives tend to put the memory of their loved ones “in the dark storehouse of memory” (53) or in a corner of their mind so as not to feel so heartbroken. He remembers seeing “A woman near a window lights a match on a candle” (39) in remembrance of a loved one who died as a result of the attack. With the speaker's comment "they are outlined on the clouds of pink" (40), he suggests that the deceased victims appeared in the sky. Collins uses visualizations, emotions and comparisons within different natural and man-made objects with respect to all the victims who tragically died that terrible day. By specifically identifying several people in this poem, Collins found a way to honor those people who died in September 11, 2001.