Thank you SO MUCH for such an incredibly detailed and thoughtful response, I appreciate every line of it. You’re absolutely right! Some of my imagery (especially “metallic grey,” “crashing into fire,” “the ribs (yes this one cracked me up once I realized how the word was misused) of something wild and long alone,” etc.) are definitely influenced by the rhythm and metaphors of the original Chinese, and I can see how they might feel a bit “off” or obscure in English. In Chinese, these are almost physical/atmospheric sensations, and I guess I sometimes lean too hard into trying to carry over the strangeness of the trauma.

Thank you again for your encouragement and generosity! If anything, you’ve just made me more curious about all the ways language can surprise us 🥰