“...but God was not in the earthquake”

Here is a poem by Gerardo Oberman, translated by Katherine H. Fiegenbaum, written in solidarity with the people of Haiti.
Thanks to Dennis Smith for sharing.

“...but God was not in the earthquake”
(1 Kings 19:11)

The ground shook like a furious animal,
the mountains trembled and the ocean let loose its anger,
the ground opened and all that was built was destroyed,
and a village tired of suffering began to suffer anew.
We saw their faces and heard their cries,
the images shook and beat us,
people wandering about, crushed bodies,
destruction and death, pain and anguish
after the cruel and devastating earthquake.

But God was not in the earthquake...

Children without mothers, mothers without children,
siblings without siblings, friends without friends,
thousands and thousands of lives squashed in seconds,
histories, hopes, dreams, wishes
disappeared in the opening and closing of an eye.
The horror left its indelible mark
in the blank stares, in the desolate faces,
on the dead, on the trapped, on the mutilated,
in each life broken by what was not expected.

But God was not in the earthquake...

Someone shouted in shock, other voices joined in.
Someone offered up a prayer, others followed,
someone sang and many sang,
someone lifted a piece of rubble
and others began to lift the stones,
someone hugged one of the wounded,
and others carried the wounded
someone offered their hand
and thousands of hands were united.

And God was with them.


In solidarity with the people of Haiti.
Gerardo Oberman
Castelar, January 13, 2010
Engl. Translation: Katherine H. Fiegenbaum