"Peking Duck" has become an important work reflecting September 11th. It's been published by Columbia University and, due to its broad public acceptance and almost "cult-like "status, it appears to have satisfied some need within the New York City community. What can you tell us about the poem?"

Jeffrey D. J. Kallenberg

"Peking Duck" was written on actually 9-12 immediately following the 9-11 disaster, and of course I was living in New York. And we were completely lost and didn't know what to do and were wandering around the streets trying to comprehend the enormity of what had happened, which frankly was impossible. Many of us would not go indoors, or if we did we certainly didn't spend a lot of time indoors. So we would walk the streets which, unless you were there, you would be surprised how empty they were. And I was walking down an abandoned street and walked by a Chinese restaurant named "China Fun," of all names, and the restaurant was abandoned and in the window were hanging three Peking ducks that were dried and hanging on a hook. I immediately began to write "Peking Duck" and finished it within the hour.

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