The 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan March 11, the continuing revelations about the loss of life, the massive water damage, and now the minute-by-minute unfolding of an already bad and potentially horrific situation in a number of nuclear reactors in Japan … these seem to have reduced language to nothing. These are cold, hard, physical facts–reported, broadcast, streamed live by international media so that almost anyone can see. Facts beyond language, and beyond a doubt awful.
Having lived 3 years in Japan, and having developed relationships with friends who have become family, I myself was at a loss for words for the first hours, the first day, listening to the radio, reading stories, consuming images. I doubted whether I should write anything about this other than emails to those I know and love, whether it was appropriate at all to write about it here, write about it now.
Continue reading at “Tsu-na-mi: Lost for words”.
