Mushroom Cloud

Mushroom Cloud

An early August morning
A day like any other
beginning for many
ending for thousands
Enola Gay released and
Little Boy was on his descent
Exploding above earth
at eight sixteen am
Burning, killing, obliterating
instantly
His mushroom cloud
rising back towards the sky
Quickly spreading outwards
Continuing his destruction
Warnings, given
Believed, perhaps
Doubted, likely
Heeded, not

 
Copyright © 2021 Christine Bolton - Poetry for Healing
All Rights Reserved

Sarah is hosting D'Verse Poets tonight and has
prompted us with "Mushroom" and encouraged us to
use it however we wish.

This poem is about the dropping of the
Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945

Photo courtesy of Live Science

  27 comments for “Mushroom Cloud

  1. February 12, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    Death under the mushroom cloud: frightening and devastating, even now.

    • Christine Bolton
      February 12, 2021 at 7:44 pm

      Thank you Dora ☺️

  2. February 10, 2021 at 4:05 pm

    A terrifying mushroom-cloud of death, lest we should ever forget. At least since those two bombings humanity has heeded the warning…so far. Well said, Christine – an important poem.

    • Christine Bolton
      February 10, 2021 at 4:23 pm

      Thanks so much Ingrid. As you can see your message came through fine. Yes the world realized how dangerous nuclear weapons are and so far, so good
      ☺️🥰

  3. February 10, 2021 at 2:58 pm

    This bomb, and it’s brother in Nagasaki changed the world… I spent some time in my youth at a place called Oak Ridge, Tennessee and that is the place where the Uranium for the first bomb was made…

    • Christine Bolton
      February 10, 2021 at 4:02 pm

      It is still quite chilling to think about it. How interesting that you were close to where that uranium came from.

  4. February 10, 2021 at 2:17 pm

    Poignant

    • Christine Bolton
      February 10, 2021 at 4:02 pm

      Hello Jude. Thank you my friend ☺️

      • February 11, 2021 at 2:55 am

        Hey Christine. My pleasure

  5. February 10, 2021 at 2:03 am

    A clever take on the prompt, Christine. It’s devastating and you really hit the heart of it all here:

    “Exploding above earth
    at eight sixteen am
    Burning, killing, obliterating
    instantly
    His mushroom cloud
    rising back towards the sky…”

    All the death and destruction; the aftermath that would linger on to even the unborn.

    Japan was warned beforehand and they did not take heed indeed. You describe the tragedy of the event realistically and solemnly. Very eloquently penned!

    • Christine Bolton
      February 10, 2021 at 8:54 am

      Thank you Lucy. Some years ago I was at the Smithsonian and saw the Enola Gay and it gave me chills. It was as if the energy was still there. I watched a videotape interview of the crew taken much later and they were asked if they would do it again, if asked. There was a resounding “No”. They said they were young men in their 20s following orders in war time. On reflection they saw the travesty. The interview was an eye opener for me. I never forgot it. 😢

  6. February 10, 2021 at 1:49 am

    Very stark. You excel here, Christine.

    • Christine Bolton
      February 10, 2021 at 8:46 am

      Thanks Punam. You are so kind ☺️

      • February 10, 2021 at 1:46 pm

        My pleasure, dear. 🥰

  7. February 10, 2021 at 1:34 am

    Very, very good, Christine… I might say – mind-blowingly good 🤯

    -David

    • Christine Bolton
      February 10, 2021 at 8:43 am

      Thank you so much David ☺️

  8. February 10, 2021 at 1:17 am

    A barbaric act of untold tragedy

    • Christine Bolton
      February 10, 2021 at 8:42 am

      Not only once, but twice in a matter of days 😢

      • February 10, 2021 at 8:45 am

        Yes! 😱😔🥺

  9. February 9, 2021 at 11:38 pm

    Beautiful wordplay.

    • Christine Bolton
      February 10, 2021 at 8:41 am

      Thank you ☺️

  10. February 9, 2021 at 10:31 pm

    Necessary, perhaps? But certainly effective. A sad opening of “pandora’s” bomb bay doors.

    • Christine Bolton
      February 9, 2021 at 11:41 pm

      Thanks Rob. A great description – Pandora’s Bomb Bay Doors

    • February 10, 2021 at 2:29 am

      I had forgotten about that other mushroom (though how could I, when it looms above all our imaginations?). I particularly like the ending, tighter and tighter, and so bleak.

      • Christine Bolton
        February 10, 2021 at 8:40 am

        Thank you Sarah. I just couldn’t get the thought out of my head once it was there. War is so ugly, isn’t it?

    • February 10, 2021 at 6:03 am

      The use of devices of flashback, concrete and abstract imageries connotes and triggers a sense of regret and loss. A deeper reflection into your poem made me realize how well you employed euphemism in expressing the historical damages caused by atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Superb!

      • Christine Bolton
        February 10, 2021 at 8:41 am

        Thank you Henry. I really appreciate it ☺️

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