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

Thu Jun 19 03:30:35 UTC 2014

LOL!  Shawn, I read that book before and even though I'm a girl, I 
definitely liked the war parts of the book much better.  I liked them so 
much so, that I started skipping the peace parts because they were so 
nauseatingly boring and blah.
Barbara

Writing free verse is like playing tennis with the net down.--Robert Frost
-----Original Message----- 
From: Jacobson, Shawn D via stylist
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 9:32 AM
To: 'William L Houts' ; 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Poem - "Hiroshima" - (sonnet)

Bill

I happened to like the poem it makes you think.

Probably can't review such a poem without pondering the politics (which were 
complex).  I suspect that the Chinese (another people with an ancient mind) 
would have a different take on Japan (having endured occupation).  I don't 
think its easy (or maybe even possible) to sort the good guys out from the 
villains in the aftermath of war.  War leaves us all victims and all 
villains.  And then, the victors write the history (so who can ever get an 
objective picture of such things)?

I'm currently reading "War and Peace" and the whole complex issue of war is 
handled well there.  I think the "war" part of the book is better than the 
"peace" part; but that's just probably my taste in such things.

Anyway, thanks for sharing.

Shawn

-----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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