In the midst
of a “slow moving nightmare”
With fires, radiation leaks
And evacuations,
An elder woman,
Is walking
Slowly and carefully
On a path of destruction
Through a sea of debris
In a ghost town.
What is she looking for
In a flattened town ?
Filled with twisted cars,
Collapsed houses,
Broken glass and tangled electric poles.
Here. There.
Cold winds
Echoing voices of the victims
Screaming
Under a mountain of rubble.
It snows
Flakes following flakes
Caressing her face,
Burying in her silvered white hair .
Her feet accidentally
Step in a puddle of black water
Splashing muddy water
To her knees .
The elder woman
Wrapping herself
In a worn-out blanket
Trying to wipe off her tears
And snow
Rolling down her cheek
Murmuring :
“..Tsunami had washed away
All I had..
“…Even I were fine,
After all the troubles,
I would have nowhere
To go
Kaeritakutemo,
Kaerenai…”
“…Why many young people died?
Why not me?
Why it had to be them?
Is the Nature playing game
With all of us?…”
Too many whys
Too many if’s
A dozen of kids
Standing
In front of their-used-to-be – homes
Searching for their belongings
With strong-willed eyes :
“… Things had happened .
Let’s face them head on
And move on
With our first steps!
Aratani
Ippo o
Fumidashimasu
Gambaroo Nippon!…”.
The wind is getting strong.
Trần Bình An
The March 11 Quake in Japan
03/11/2011
Nguồn: http://www.tranbinhan.ecosolarcity.com/newpoem.html
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