China Jon's Syncretic Journal

This sad little poem is one of my responses to what is happening in Sichuan.

Other responses include sudden upwellings of tears, moments of contemplation about the reasons for this tragedy, anger at the political use of this tragedy, and a sense of the simple vulnerability of humanity in the face of overpowering tragedy.

This earthquake did not kill as many people as previous earthquakes in China, but those were hidden from view. This one was on YouTube within minutes.

A previous terrible earthquake struck in the night, killing 10's of thousands of families as they slept. The Sichuan earthquake struck at 2:28 in the afternoon, and many parents could rush out into the streets. Their children were in school, and few made it out before the collapse of the classroom buildings ended their lives. Now, the parent's are left to grieve, as their only child is gone, and only their book-bag with a picture of Mickey Mouse to be found in the child's dorm room.

Sichuan is known in China as 'The Heaven of China.'

It was a beautiful place. In time the beauty will return, but not the lost children.

It is more heartbreaking every day.

The confirmed death toll from last week's earthquake has risen to 41,353 as of noon today, with more than 32,000 people unaccounted for.

Millions of people have been made homeless in one afternoon.

What can I say...

Be thankful for your good health and happy family.