Earthquake 8.1

when Life hands you earthquakes... create poetry??

I.

 

When I said I wanted someone

to shake my world to its foundation…

THAT

was not exactly

what I had in mind.

 

II.

 

I could have done without:

that weightless sensation,

that fear of structural collapse.

The Knowing, in the place where

your stomach registers grief

on its own scale of 1-10-

 

the knowledge that you

are feeling people die.

 

III.

 

Yet I still say- the day you

invaded and conquered my life;

was more impactful

than that 8.1.

 

I stopped trembling

a week after the earthquake;

with you, the shaking has

lasted 4 years, and counting.

 

Aftershocks are speaking to the coast

the same way your voice

has advised my destiny,

all this time.

 

IV.

 

Some fault lines course through

mountains and valleys and trenches.

Others run some path

between human limitation

and the infinity of creation.

 

You cannot see the picture

on the cover of the box of this

impossible puzzle. You just know

the other is out there,

somewhere,

 

already waiting for you

in whatever earthly or

celestial destination, you

had thought of journeying to.

 

V.

 

We are but islands

of present tenses

in each other’s seas of

past and future mistakes

and universal potential.

 

We travel between them

trembling even more

then the ground in Mexico

right now.

 

Earthquakes have always

served their purpose-

they sculpt the exterior and

interior landscapes;

 

like so much clay

in the hands of infinitely

greater powers and wisdoms-

indifferent to their impact

on something as small

as a human life.

 

 

for FC. Yes, it is still you. 

It may always be you. 

 

 

Author's Note

On the night of September 7, we experienced here one of the most terrifying things I have ever felt- a magnitude 8.1 (some say 8.2) earthquake off the coast of Chiapas, Mexico. Luckily, it was far enough from us here in Xela that it did not cause extensive damages. Other parts of Guatemala and Mexico were devastated. If it had been any closer, I do not think my home would have survived and I would not be here. Almost 100 people did lose their lives. There is nothing like great trauma and fear of death to make you sit quietly and re-evaluate your life. We have since had 100s of aftershocks, as well.

Besides, I had, the week before, turned the potential of nuclear war, into a love poem. The challenge to do so this time was too great to pass up.

Reviews

[SoakedPoet]

love love love that poem you wrote!! love it!!

hey i felt that earthquake from the center of xalapa, mexico... were you guys alright?? I heard it hit guatemala pretty hard.. and just 10 minutes ago I felt a strong tremor and people went out into the streets for safety... you know anything about it??

[Marie Anzalone]

It was a 7.1 just outside of Mexico City, in Puebla. Many of my friends felt it; I did not. One friend is in Mexico City in the hospital recovering from back surgery. She says that several buildings have fallen round her. It is a mess, we do not know how bad.

[Marie Anzalone]

As for the 8.1 on September 7, yes, we were shaken VERY strongly here. I thought my home was going to collapse. Luckily, we "only" shook for a few minutes. There were casualties in both Guatemala and Mexico from that one- but our casualties were more in San Marcos; I live just a little further inland and our city escaped major damage. So far.

[SoakedPoet]

well thank God there is some good news in all this.. I'm very new to mexico and its way of life.. sep.7 was my first earthquake tremor ever.. Take care and keep up the good writing!!

[mattavelli]

Hello, Marie! :)
This was a great read. It has humor, love, tragedy, wisdom, hope, and some great metaphors. Thanks for sharing

[Shikon Akuma Ookami]

A poem shows a lot about a person and who they are. At least that's what I believe. This Poem is well put and expressed in an artistic way and reminds me a bit of Shakespeare and how he wrote things, without the old language that is. This was quite enjoyable to read and I give my condolences to those who have lost their lives in that unfortunate event.

[h d e rushin]

I have never felt the earth shake. I am, I suppose, lucky to say this since I don't like surprises and earthquakes allways seem to catch people off guard, cooking, sleeping, holding cups of tea...etc. never girded between two strong pillars or in the tub with the comforter over their heads....(like I would do perhaps). But the feeling you've conveyed speaks volumes as to the suddenness of hearbreak......great writing my love../dana

[ElizaB]

Thanks for entering.

This line stayed with me, it is so powerful.

the knowledge that you
are feeling people die.

[Oscar]

great poem! i hope all is well with your friends and family.

[Raquelita]

Some friends suffered structural damages in this one, and others were severely shaken. The second one, though 10x less intense (7.1 vs 8.1) was far more destructive because if occurred on land in a very populated area. One friend watched buildings fall around here and had to evacuate here home. I think everyone on this side of the world was sadly left traumatized. I understand it was horrible, even worse than ours when the building collapses were taken into account.

[Chris]

Life does go "bump-in-the-night". Moonlight, sunlight, starlight... a mind's-light - the echoes resound.

[Raquelita]

Indeed, and often those bumps come when we least imagine they would, jolting us out of [or for some, into] complacency. I for one hope to never experience something like this again- once was enough. Those echoes may be there for a while yet.

[Chris]

Ducking for a living is no fun ...not even numbing.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

taking that experience and molding a metaphor for love and the devastation it can cause, first rocking our world, and then the aftershocks of when it is over...
really creative...and when something so life threatening happens as what you went through---definitely makes one stop and appreciate life.

this is an amazing poem, Marie.

j.

[Marie Anzalone]

VERY much appreciate your incredibly moving review, jacob. Thank you for visiting my page, for seeing me here. Blessings.

[Kelly Scheppers]

I live in California, and can appreciate the strength within your words and feelings. I assure you, it is palpable!

[Marie Anzalone]

Thank you, Kelly- you are so right this type of energy is VERY palpable. We are watching the news our of Mexico right now with our hearts in our throats. 46 dead and counting from today's event.

[Kelly Scheppers]

Take care, Marie. I hope it brings some comfort to you to know you are in our thoughts and prayers!

[Marie Anzalone]

It does, it really does. We are in major political turmoil and srrife right now, but every eye I see is on our neighbors to the north (Mexico) and east (Caribbean) and what they are facing. I have already opened my home for anyone who needs a refuge.

[sinNsincerity]

¡Otro terremoto ocurrió ahora!

[Marie Anzalone]

Si! :-( No lo sentimos aca, peor mchos de mis amigos fueron afectados. Creo que no hemos visto el fin de esta estacion de devastacion, pues. Tremenda.

[sinNsincerity]

Que bueno que estés bien y ruego que tus amigos estén bien. Tuvimos una pequeña en Los Ángeles ayer. Sólo necesitamos un volcán para estallar.

[Marie Anzalone]

Pues, te cuento que en mi mundo, tengo tambien el volcan. Vivo 3 millas afuera de unos de los volcanes as activos del mundo- Santiaguito. Con toda esta actividad de la placa, estyo poniendo mucho ojo en el tambien, proque esperamos alto nivel de actividad despues de este tipo de terremoto. Estoy feliz que tu sismo de ayer no era mas grande.

[sinNsincerity]

Y hay dos volcanes más cerca de Santa Maria tambien. Te ora que te quedes a salvo y que Dios protege a todos allí.

[Marie Anzalone]

pues mas o menos. Santa Maria fue activa, pero ahora, su parte activa es Santiaguito. Estamos en cadena de 27 volcanes, pero "solo" 5 son activos. De espts 5, Santiaguito es el unico cerca a m hogar que es muy activo, el ro, Cerro Quemado, ha sido dormante por 150 anios. Los otros dos afmosos, Fuego y Pacaya, estan 100 km de aqui. No tan cercanos. Uno afecta mucho a Antigua, el otro, la capital.