Mark Scrivener Poetry Blog No 67 At the Exhibition (Hiroshima)

AT THE EXHIBITION (HIROSHIMA)

August the sixth is the 70th year since nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although this poem (written many years ago) was in response to an article about an exhibition of the plane used, it is not intended as a criticism (or praise) of US policy at the time. Rather it is intended as a reflection on what we have in this technology. 

 

Seizo Yamada's ground level photo taken approximately 7 km (4.3 mi) northeast of Hiroshima-  "Hirgrnd1" by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hirgrnd1.jpg#/media/File:Hirgrnd1.jpg -uploaded by Stonehead.

AT THE EXHIBITION (HIROSHIMA)

Following objections from American war veterans,

the Smithsonian Institute toned down the results

of the atomic bombing of Japan in its display

of the Enola Gay: the bomber that dropped the first nuclear weapon.

At the exhibition

it has been decided

not to overemphasize

consequences:

vaporising, burning,

lingering long deaths in pain.

It is an ordinary plane.

The sixth of August, nineteen forty five.

Let us not overemphasize

the deadly gift

given unto us,

now and forever more.

They were a murderous enemy.

Look at this plane: Enola Gay.

In the seaport city it was to be

an ordinary day.......

housewives haggling over prices,

neighbours' small talk, babies' bawling,

children just beginning school.

Hiroshima, Nagasaki. Let us not remember

these were but the baby bombs.

Oh, let us not remember

the burning and the pain.

It was another day beginning.

Then all the sky was turned to flame.