[stylist] Poem - "Hiroshima" - (sonnet)

Mon Jun 9 17:45:33 UTC 2014

Hi Bill,
I can come close to wrapping my head around this one. I have felt totally unqualified to comment on most of the other ones you have sent. This poem reminds me of when they ask people about geography on the Tonight Show, or politics. And it reminds me of the game show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader." As you can see, I am to writing as a tone-deaf person is to Beethoven.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William L Houts via stylist
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2014 11:17 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: [stylist] Poem - "Hiroshima" - (sonnet)

HI Gang,

Here's a sonnet; one of the few I've written worthy of the name, and it
shouldn't be a headache to read, as far as I can tell. Comments welcome,
as always.

--Bill

---

No enemies were bombed, no tanks or planes:

just people walking dogs or bringing home

their fish and rice from market stalls while chains

of splitting atoms high above become

a lightning hellish holocaust which rains

a nightmare poison down, a billion wraths.

Today, the children fold their paper cranes

and pray to save the world from psychopaths.

But that's a country with an ancient mind,

where history is taught and facts retained.

America, I fear, is not that kind

Our virgin state, when lost, is e'er regained.

To learn and leave the past?We're not inclined:

our nation's got a faint, forgetful mind.

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