Believe English
Only I am Shaken
Lightning strikes,
daylight stabbing back
at night,
claws at clouds
Only I am shaken
The lightning flashes
It looks like daylight
Fighting with the night
The light scratches the sky
I am the only one who is scared
Lightning bright flash of light in the rain
Stabbing hitting like with a sword or a knife
Claws scratching or hitting with claws (v)
the sharp nails on the feet of a cat or a lion (n)
Shaken frightened, scared
Commentary
I wrote this poem while sitting beside the Perfume River in Hue. It was n’t raining, but it was hot and wanted to rain. The clouds were looming in the sky. The power went out in the city, and everything grew silent and dark. In silence lightning ripped at the sky. It was terrifying, and in the next moment it was gone. Everything was quiet and dark, and the river was calm. It seemed like nothing had happened. The clouds and the city carried on. Only I was still shaking inside.
I was impressed with how sudden and powerful the sky can be. And it did, for a moment, look like and argument between the clouds and the light. Between day and night. And just as quickly and just as quietly it was gone and as if nothing had happened. That is what left me so shaken, that energy, that potential that is always there. It was not fear so much as awe. It was wonderful.
It is a funny feeling to talk about a poem you wrote yourself, and to read it out loud. I’m not sure how to talk about it now…. I’ll be back.