Fateful Morning!

'I'd never have thought it would come to this,'

The civil servant said,

As the man beside him pursed his lips,

And frowned, and shook his head.

They stopped and stared at the soldiers

Who maneuvered in the square,

'They even look defeated!'

Said his friend, in a mute despair.

 

The morning was bright sunshine

And it glittered through the leaves,

They walked along in the shadows cast

By the branches of the trees,

'How long do you think we've got,' he said,

'Before they come ashore?'

His friend had shivered and pursed his lips:

'A great mistake, this war!'

 

'So much depends on the Emperor,

He'll never let them land...'

'I fear you're right, to save his face

He'll sacrifice Japan!'

They grinned, and laughed at the irony,

Their lives would be undone;

But didn't have time to reflect again

In the Hiroshima sun!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

No one is left unwounded by war, no matter the passage of time nor the winners nor losers. If man were not at war with himself, the plague of desiring to rule others would not exist. Until man is happy with himself, he will never desire to live in peace and be happy with others. That truth is the ugliest bomb of all.

[Marie]

And your last line tells the whole story.And nothing could have told it better.

[Cherrie Palmer]

Wow, powerful and it commanded my attention

[Mark]

Makes one take a deep and shuddering breath, when he contemplates the hundreds of thousands of people, what they were eating, thinking, doing, the love they were making, fleeing or avoiding, those days when second suns fell upon the Empire of the Rising Sun...

[Doreen]

A wonderful poem. You tell a fabulous story with much power in your words. The tone is fitting for the piece, and clear in imagery. Love your work. :)

[DBURKE]

This is a great poem/story! You have a way of capturing stories in your poetry and that trademark is truely unique_ Something I will always love about your work!