On September 11, 2001, Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes, crashing two into New York's World Trade Center towers, one into the Pentagon, and one in Pennsylvania after passengers intervened. This devastating attack resulted in nearly 3,000 fatalities and marked the deadliest terrorist incident in history. The events triggered U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, reshaped global counterterrorism strategies, and intensified debates surrounding civil liberties and Islamophobia.

The September 11 attacks spurred a significant poetic response, with works ranging from elegies for the victims to critiques of the ensuing wars and surveillance state. Poets like Adrienne Rich, Yusef Komunyakaa, and Tracy K. Smith explored themes of trauma, grief, and the complexities of identity in a post-9/11 world. This literary movement continues to address the ongoing impacts of 9/11, including drone warfare and the refugee crises, reflecting on the tension between security and freedom.