Remember the Triangle Factory Fire: Poems

Today, March 25, 2020 is the 109th Anniversary of the Triangle Factory Fire. Fourth graders in conjunction with our historical immigration curriculum learned about this tragic event, the activism that it inspired, and the changes for the better that occurred as a result. The “Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition” is a group working to continue to honor the victims of this event with a more substantial memorial than the one that currently exists. We can imagine poetry being a part of that project. For example:

Unexpected Turn

By Joshua 

 

The cutters were smoking

Now the building is smoking 

The flames were burning the building

That was not nice

The building probably had mice

And they died 

 

And also

You know what is a mess?

Is the fact that the seamstresses

Were paid less.

 

And the lights from the fire 

Really hurt their eyes

Smoking should not be allowed

And that is a fact

Because you know that the people

Who died in the 

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire

Want their lives back

To the 146 people that died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.


This Afternoon

By Mia Taylor

 

The gray clouds loom over 

The dismal Saturday afternoon

Everywhere 

People in their fancy clothes 

Rush to work 

or home

 

And the chirping birds

sing a song of harmony

With the accompaniment

Of the bells

And the

Honks

 

Then 

On that 

Saturday afternoon

Commotion broke out

 

The fire burns 

People scream

 

Something falls,

A bundle of a girl 

Scared so she jumped

Still the fire burns

 

What happened? 

The Fire burns

 

The firemen come

Still the fire burns

 

The people push 

On the door 

Of freedom

The key is lost

Still the fire burns

 

The fire escape is open

It breaks 

Under the weight

Still the fire burns

 

10th floor is

Alerted 

They climb Up to 

The Roof 

Getting help 

From the Students

In the Building over there

But only them

Still the fire burns 

 

After that half hour

Perished that fire

But it Still burns

In our hearts 

 


The Workers’ Demise

By Gabby 

 

It was a lovely March day.

Birds chirping, and flowers blooming.

Not knowing danger and pain were just around the corner.

We were getting ready to leave,

But suddenly, we smelled smoke.

Someone alerted us,

That it was a fire,

And we all had to leave as fast as possible.

We crowded into an elevator,

And we left the building,

And went onto the street.

 

The fire was burning,

And people were screaming,

Crowds gathered around the building.

 

Eventually the firemen came,

And they put up the ladders,

But the ladders were too short,

And the fire was too strong.

 

The fire was burning,

People were screaming

Crowds gathered around the building

 

They tried to use nets.

But they broke,

As did the fire escape.

 

And to everyone’s horror ,

People were taking their lives,

By jumping out the windows,

So they would not feel the pain of burning to death.

 

They eventually put it out,

But so many lives were already lost.

 

The fire was still burning in my memory,

And the screaming haunted my dreams for the rest of my life.

 

After witnessing that terrifying event,

I realized I was no longer a child.

 

I never forgot what happened that day,

And I never will. 

 


So Sad

by Olivia

It was a beautiful spring day 

With birds chirping 

But suddenly 

flames burst out of the windows 

Of the Triangle ShirtWaist Factory

bundles of cloth falling from the windows

People’s piercing screams fill the air

So sad

So sad

One hundred and forty six immigrants

Died that horrible day

March 25, 1911

Making clothes for the rich

They were locked in they couldn’t get out

They jumped out of windows 

To try and save themselves

So sad

So sad

Someone could have helped

If they had called firefighters sooner

If they had tried to tell people on the 9th floor

If they had not been locked in

So sad 

So sad


Birds are Chirping

 

By Cooper

 

I’m sitting at a park, birds are chirping 

 

Nice calm day, birds are chirping 

 

The sun is beaming down on me slowly getting darker

 

Birds are flying 

 

This dark does not feel normal 

It is evil 

It is smoke coming from the big Asch Building

 

Someone from the building says 

 

“Help, help the building’s on fire we can’t get out we must go higher”

 

Then firemen crowd on the scene saying “no, no you must not go you can’t go high you must get low 

 

They raise their ladders but they are too short

 

They firemen say we can’t get to you 

You gotta jump

 

So they crowd on the fire escapes, hoping to see their family again but then crack tumble, tumble, tumble boom

The fire escape brakes and the fire spreads and it is too late for those 146 men and woman

 

As another day rises so do the people as the smoke cleared so do the people

 

And after the laws were passed so do the people

 

And after every thing was said and done 

the birds are still flying

 

And after all the changes were made it still doesn’t change their tragic fate 

 


  

The Fire

By Sam

 

So calm,

So peaceful,

And then the fire.

The burning building illuminated like

 a big jack o lantern.

Ahhhhh 

Scared

Desperate

Worried

Trapped

People jump in hope of survival

9th floor completely

Oblivious

No direct phone line

Seals their fate 

Harris and Blanck

On the roof

Watch as their factory

Becomes no more

30 minutes 

Lots of damage

Fire escapes

T

U

M

B

L

E

To the ground

Down,

Down,

Down. 

 

 

The inside burns

The outside doesn’t.

The workers smoke

Fabric on the ground

Cigarettes

Light it up

The law school

People

help harris and blanck

Ladders on the roof

Save their lives

146 

Dead

7

Unidentified

So sad

New laws

Better conditions and 

Doors unlocked

120,000 

march for the dead

It is safe now.

 


Cobblestones. Trees. Wind.

By Jules

 

Cobblestones.

Trees.

 Wind.

 

Saturday.

4:45 pm.

That’s when it all began.

 

Scream.

Shout.

Flames arise from the trash.

 

Acting quickly, workers try to stop the fire.

 

Water.

 

Not enough.

 

Fire spreads, as workers run to the elevator,

 but not everyone can fit.

 

Up and down the 

elevator goes.

 

But there is something

 that nobody knows.

 

Nobody… 

 

Running to the door,

 many and many more,

 hands reaching for the brass handle.

 

But the door is locked.

 

And they are stuck.

 

From below the flame, 

down low, a bundle of cloth falls.

 

But that is no cloth…

 

That is a girl that jumped out the window.

 

To flee from the fire. 

 

April 5th.

1911.

120,000 people marched in honor of 7 unidentified victims.

 

Cobblestones.

 Trees.

Wind. 

The End


The Fire 

By Emmett

 

The cutters started it 

They were smoking just like the building now 

On flames 

People frightened everywhere  

Flames spreading

Firefighters could not reach 

So the people did the risk 

They jumped 

Flames spreading

 It did not go so well

Fatal to most

Lots of dead people

146 to be precise 

The building was toast

Flames spreading

But one good thing came out of that 

Safe home for us at last

 


We must move on 

By Cali 

 

It was a normal day 

in the Asch building,

We must move on.

 

The fabric cutters were smoking, 

The paper caught on fire,

 A worker smelled smoke,

there was commotion,

we must move on.

 

There were calls from 

floor to floor, 

There was banging 

On the door,

We must move on.

 

There were screams 

From the fear,

There were fire escapes

Crashing to the ground,

 we must move on.

 

There were sirens wailing, 

There were horses neighing and

Hooves clopping on the street, 

We must move on.

 

There were trolley bells flailing,

 there was smoke, there were ladders 

only reaching to the 6th floor,

 there were nets,

we must move on.

 

It took about half an hour 

to put out the fire,

Many lives were lost,

We must move on.

 

This day has been remembered 

And will be remembered forevermore,

We must move on.

 

WE MUST MOVE ON.


The Fire

By Charlie 

 

I see

 

Bundles of cloth falling,

 

Roaring flames,

 

Firefighters reaching,

 

Fingers pointing,

 

Smoke rising from ashes,

 

Commotion,

 

Angry people,

 

People in fear,

 

I hear

 

Trolly bells,

 

Screaming,

 

Birds chirping,

 

Neighing,

 

Clopping hooves,

 

Roaring flames,

 

People crying,

 

Anger,

 

I feel

 

Pain,

 

Sadness,

 

Anger,

 

Fear,

 

Oblivious 

 

Concerned,

 

Anxiety

 

I see

 

Fire glow,

 

Clear sky,

 

Gray blocking the sun,

 

Dimmed lights,

 


Commotion on a happy day

By Ryan

 

Birds chirping,

 

Sun shining,

 

People playing,

 

Then suddenly, flames bursting,

 

People shouting

 

Fear, Sadness, and Pain

 

Sun Dimming,

 

Beautiful Birds flying away

 

Fear, Sadness, and Pain

 

Bundles of cloth falling from a 10 story building

 

Bells ringing 

 

Horses clopping on the cobblestones

Cloppity, Clippity, Cloppity, Clap!!!!!!

 

Screaming, Crying

 

Oh, how many people crying,

BOOM!

Bundles of cloth have finally landed


Commotion 

By Wally

 

So much commotion 

People yelling

And screaming

Smoke everywhere

Sadness and

Desperation in 

People’s faces

500 people

Trying to 

Live 345

Just made 

It out 

Alive 

146 

Did not

it was 

A tragic 

Day for 

All so 

They had 

To make 

Laws and 

Quickly So 

They marched 

And Marched.

 


Bright Glowing Flames

By Lucie

 

Bright glowing flames

People yelling names

“Rachel!” “Leah”!

 

Bright glowing flames

Yellow

Red 

Orange

 

Bright glowing flames

One by one cloth falls from the window

Scared 

Afraid

If the workers just obeyed

 

Bright glowing flames

Flames spread rapidly 

Screams 

Yelling in pain

 

Bright glowing flames

That’s why smoking is bad

That time period was very sad

 

Bright glowing flames

One hundred and forty six people died

Tragic

 

Bright glowing flames

Smoke from all over

Gray fog fills the air

 

Bright glowing flames

“Help!” people said yelling, burning in the glossy looking flames

Tears rolling down people’s faces

“Don’t go! Stay!” people yell from the old grounds of 1911 

 

Bright glowing flames

Everywhere 

Up

Down 

Surrounded

 

Bright glowing flames

Firemen arrive 

The ladder only reaches the 6th floor

Fire bells ring in the warm march day

“Go, run away!”

Some people say

 

Bright glowing flames

Some lived some died

Some died old 

Some died young

 

Bright glowing flames

We are lucky now is now

And not then 

 


The Fire

             By Violet

                                Beautiful, normal day in 1911, 

          on a spring day, trolleys rolling down the bumpy  Road              

                 tall, tall buildings working and then…

       A shout from a building “fire fire!” Trolleys ding-ing louder,

                    The wind pushed heavily and the fire grew.

       People on the ground watching the tragic sights while

                                     watching the                                                   

             shadows of the people jumping out of the building.

                     Beautiful, normal day in 1911

The chaos they must have went through, the women getting their 

               coats, The men trying to save themselves.

The sacrifices they must have made, for it takes courage and

              kindness to do that, but unfortunately 

       there weren’t many people who had that courage. 


 Saturday

By Amelia

 

Birds chirping

Nice day,

Nothing

On Saturday

 

Suddenly 

Without warning,

Was a Fire

On Saturday 

 

Who helped?

Who helped?

Who helped?

On Saturday

 

People screaming

Without a doubt, 

Being terrified

On Saturday

 

Clip-clop of horses

Coming to them,

Firefighters trying to save them

On Saturday

 

Ladder too short

Jump out the window,

Bundles of “clothes” falling 

On Saturday 

 

After the fire

Return home,

Talk about the tragedy

On Saturday 

 

Now a memorial 

Not that memorable,

Some people pray there

On Saturday.

  


The Pains in Tragedies 

by Chloe

 

It all started because of a cigarette                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Saturday Evening 

Birds chirping  

Workers smoking

End of work

Get going

Garbage bin on fire

Flammable fabric

  Flash of red

Stools, baskets, people

All destroyed by fire

Pain 

Fear

Desperate

                                           Firefighters come

           Bundles of clothes falling 

Don’t get your coats! 

Fingers pointing 

Outside the fire

   Building survives

People accused

Laws were passed

All because of a cigarette


 

Asch Building Fire

by Kinoti

 

It was a great tragedy for the United States

The people inside noticed too late 

That a fire was raging inside 

Some people hid and some tried to get out 

But there was no doubt that they were caged in 

All the deaths that happened

It was a tragedy 

But because of it today 

We can play, live, learn and feel safe

 


 

This afternoon

By Mia 

 

The gray clouds loom over 

The dismal Saturday afternoon

Everywhere 

People in their fancy clothes 

Rush to work 

or home

 

And the chirping birds

sing a song of harmony

With the accompaniment

Of the bells

And the

Honks

 

Then 

On that 

Saturday afternoon

Commotion broke out

 

The fire burns 

People scream

 

Something falls,

A bundle of a girl 

Scared so she jumped

Still the fire burns

 

What happened? 

The Fire burns

 

The firemen come

Still the fire burns

 

The people push 

On the door 

Of freedom

The key is lost

Still the fire burns

 

The fire escape is open

It breaks 

Under the weight

Still the fire burns

 

10th floor is

Alerted 

They climb Up to 

The Roof 

Getting help 

From the Students

In the Building over there

But only them

Still the fire burns 

 

After that half hour

Perished that fire

But it Still burns

In our hearts 


Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

By Milo 

 

The image was tragic 

There was fire in the buildings

Fingers pointing everywhere 

Bundles of clothes

Falling 

Out of the building 

 

Fingers were pointing everywhere 

There screams

Coming from the 

Top three floors

Horses clomping 

Their feet loudly  

Neighing from 

The horses  

Fingers were pointing everywhere

 

I have a few questions

For you 

How hot was it on the 

The top three floors?  

Did Harris and Blanck

Actually want the                                                                                                             

doors to be closed 

I see gray from the fire

People were scared.


The Sky Will Clear Again

By Owen 

 

What a beautiful day 

The birds chirping,

The sky clear as the ocean,

But as I look around at the buildings

I notice smoke as I walk by.

I hear people screaming 

Are these people in trouble? 

I stand and stay back

 As I fall over 

As scared as ever. 

The firefighters come

As I stare at the burning building.

Falling out the window 

Screaming as the fall

all 

the 

way 

down.

Now that the fire is finally calm

The birds sing once again,

And the sky is back to normal 

And I think to myself,

Today was a very tragic day

 


The Fire Of the Shirtwaist Factory

By Noah

 

Birds are chirping

 

Men dressed in black suits

With matching pants 

Are swarming around

Like ants 

In an ant farm

 

Birds are chirping

 

There are woman too

Dressed in shirtwaists

And dresses

Clip clop clip clop

Younger ones are heading home from work

Joining the ant farm

 

Birds are chirping

 

When someone smelled

Smoke

Shadows are unsteadily

Shaking

as fire

Glows

Crackle pop boom! Crackle pop boom!

 

Birds are chirping

 

Bundles of cloth 

are rapidly descending 

from rectangular holes 

In the brick building

The bundles descend

In groups of

 

One

 

Two

 

Three

 

And four

 

Birds are chirping

 

Who will help?

The fire lights up the slowly darkening sky

As the fire goes on

The night is as light as the day

But even brighter

 

Birds are chirping

 

Men coming from a red truck

Have come

Their large webs

Are not enough

 

Birds are chirping

 

The long line 

of black unsteady stairs

Collapse

Under the weight 

Of the men

Trying to save all the people

But it was still not enough

 

Birds are chirping

 

The men fell from the stairs

Already knowing 

They were risking their lives

They got out their ladders

But it only reached so far

 

Birds are chirping

 

The calamity seems to go on forever

But the fire

Only lasted

Thirty minutes

It seems that the birds

 

Will not stop chirping

But even though

 

 

Birds are chirping