6 and 9 August 1945

An unholy roar begins to build
that cherry blossom day
thunder in the air,
a miraculous, quiet
a low rumble,
a terrible tremor,
a move towards total devastation
in the air, on that very day
when the earth begins
to tremble and shake
uncontrollably.

Look!
all the skies scorched with fire
and the air explodes
fusing flesh with flesh
into a whiteness
from which the dark shadow of a child
slowly emerges.