Michiko was 11 years old on August 6th 1945.
She was the only daughter of Mr and Mrs Kobayashi.
They lived in a small house outside of Hiroshima.
Michiko had polio and her leg was always painful.
She was given the job of cleaning school.
Inside the classroom was a little boy waiting for his
parents to pick him up.
As Michiko looked out the window she saw a cloud forming.
It was a bomb called “Little Boy”
She covered her eyes and hid under the desks and
tried to protect the little boy.
“Kowai Kowai” the boy kept repeating .
The sound was deafening.
After a short time she prayed the Lord’s prayer.
“Ten ni orareru watashi-tachi no Chichi yo,
minna ga sei tosaremasu yo ni.”
She forgot the pain in her leg, laid down and prayed.
“Why did you save me God. I am just a girl”.
All over America in school playgrounds the kids had a skipping song:
“Bobby oppy made a bomb,
Blew Japan to kingdom come,
Did it all with unranium,
Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.”
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Author:
David Wakeling (
Online) - Published: May 21st, 2025 00:42
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 11
- Users favorite of this poem: Poetic Licence
Online)
Comments4
Powerful and a bomb itself, exploding our myopic view of who is right and wrong in conflict and how it is the innocent that suffer. Lovely David
Exactly right. The innocent suffer too often.Thanks for your comments compadre
That is very powerful and hits at the core, a subject that even to this day innocent people are suffering the aftermath of, so well written
Thank you so much.The innocent suffer with the guilty.A crazy world.
You are very welcome
That's so much meaning and brought me back to my pilgrimage of there and Nagasaki to be at Ground Zero where there are still scars that call to mind the tragedy. Powerful write 🙏🏻🕊️
Thank you mi amigo.I'm not sure I could visit such a place without weeping out loud.But hey that's the way it is
I know what you mean. It was more than moving, it was gut wrenching. You actually get physically ill from the impactful stimuli.🙏🏻🕊️
This is a moving reflection on the impact of war, showing the innocence lost and the pain felt by those affected. Well done!
Thank you for your king words and insightful critique.Most welcome
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