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Kokura & Nagasaki
| Open Poetry #6 |
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Kokura & Nagasaki |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA 
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Kokura is a city on the west coast of Japan, A testament to nature and the excellence of Man. It is a thriving city filled with modern industry. Its citizens are properous and there is luxury. It has a modern monorail for everyone to use And you can gamble daily at the Racecourse should you choose. Kokura Castle has been there since sixteen hundred two, An absolutely striking sight for anyone to view. Each year brings their Grand Festival, one million people strong March and dance and raise their voices gaily into song And, at Yasaka Shrine they humbly bow their heads and pray For peace, rich harvests and good fortune to be sent their way. The residents are quite content, as well as they should be. Their ancestry can be traced back to early history. They love to work and love to play and love their fellow man And so life goes in this town on the west side of Japan. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Nagasaki is another city we know in Japan, A testament to horror and destructiveness of Man. It has rebuilt itself well in the fifty-five years passed Since it was leveled fully by that large atomic blast. But scars still show across the city, scattered here and there And old men still have wounds and burns and walk with listless stare. Cruel radiation still wreaks havoc on the elderly And, though a full half-century's passed, there's still anxiety. One hundred fifty thousand people failed to survive That cruel event that ran its course in 1945 But they have bravely battled back, rebuilding what they had. To think of what they've gone through makes the heart turn cold and sad. There's an "Atomic Museum" in the middle of the square, A testament to suffering for all who enter there. A statue stands of Buddha, one arm out, one at his side, Protector who could not protect the thousands who had died. So there stands Nagasaki, bravely moving on ahead. Their hopes lie in the future. All the past they knew is dead. A brand new city on the rise and beautiful at last But doomed to live in infamy for its horrendous past. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * On August 9th of '45, the plane flew overhead, B-29 named Bockscar�..armageddon in its bed. The bomb was called the "Fatman", bigger than the "Little Boy" Which dropped on Hiroshima with a mission to destroy. Just after 10, the pilot listened to the radio Advising him he must proceed�the mission was a "go". He told the crew to ready all, with trembling in his voice Then headed for Kokura, the Allies target choice. It was a cloudy morn that day. The pilot made a pass And then again - then one more time till they were low on gas. Afraid of running out of fuel, the only thing to do Was head for Nagasaki, which had been choice number two. Such ways is history written, friends. Fate really can be strange. So many lives were altered by that one last-minute change. Kokura suffered nothing. Nagasaki got the blast Because it was a cloudy day and they were low on gas. [This message has been edited by Balladeer (04-28-2010 08:19 AM).] |
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| © Copyright 2000 Michael Mack - All Rights Reserved | |||
Kevin
since 1999-11-02
Posts 729Torrington, Ct, Usa |
Its funny why we often try to rationalize the irational, this is one such case. Something as devistating and significant as a nuclear weapon, altered by the insignificance of a cloud, or fuel... This is so well captured by balladeer, and a testament to his writing ability, applause |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Balladeer~ This is powerful. If they'd taught history in school with works like this ... I might have listened a little more closely. I will read this one again. I'd like to share it with a history teacher that I know. Thank you, my friend. I really enjoy it when you 'dig in'.  ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ noles1@totcon.com |
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Michael
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-13
Posts 7666California |
You know, there is such a cruel irony to Fate. This is so powerful - and indeed, something I never knew of before. Very well presented poem, Balladeer. I am moved by your abilities once again. Michael |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
I had never heard of this before either. Life or death was determined by a cloudy day. Very sobering. Great writing, Balladeer. Denise |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Thanks to you all. Yes, it is strange how such an insignificant thing could produce such a dramatic change of events. I found myself imagining while writing this a small boy in Kokura looking up at the cloudy sky and complaining that there was no sun......makes one think. |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
It certainly does make one think... what an egomaniacal, self-serving, rationalizing lot we can be, don't ya think??.. You frequently astound me with your wonderful cognizance and pure ability, my deer friend..  |
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WhtDove Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-22
Posts 9245Illinois |
Michael you've blown me away with this! Many things I didn't know. Here I am reading and learning. Thanks for the sad lesson. I'm left speechless and need to ponder this one a bit...whoa |
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Pepper Member Elite
since 1999-08-19
Posts 3079Southern Florida |
I, also, never knew this 'Deer ... This is writing at it's best ... Very powerful .. Applause here too .. |
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hoot_owl_rn Member Patricius
since 1999-07-05
Posts 10750Glen Hope, PA USA |
I think I would have loved History had you been my teacher |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
excellent Balladeer..you school us well today with this...both a history lesson and a poetry lesson... way to go teach  great work in this one, truly take care,jm ...when you walked into the room, I saw their faces, you made it feel like time was standing still...and I felt fascination... then you turned and smiled in my direction... and my heart...gave me away. glass tiger |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
Balladeer, Well you know what I think of your work. Sy |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
A few years ago, I read an interview of the man who piloted the Enola Gay... your poem brings back many of those same spine-tingling feelings of how happenstance can alter so much... some live, some die... still others remember. *S* Well done! |
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Andrew Scott Member Elite
since 1999-06-24
Posts 2558Redlands,CA,USA |
Sir Balladeer... once again you have proven why you stand so tall in the poetic halls, but also shown us that it is the little things that make up the big. Thanks for the history lesson... I can think of no better this day. As always, I bow to you and yours. |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
My warm thanks to you all. Yes, at times there is no need to create fiction when reality is so much more unbelievable than fiction could ever be...... |
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devina Member Elite
since 1999-10-28
Posts 3539Cali |
Very powerful piece Mike...I always have loved your history lessons!!! Open arms can be the most fragile in the world... |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Amazing talent to put history into poetry form. When I was in Japan I visited the museums and viewed the ruins in Hiroshima and I was not impressed with the death and destruction that mankind unleased on that day. Truly a sad and horrible day in history when we felt that our only option was to resort to that means of massive death and destruction. James |
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