At the Exibition

AT THE EXHIBITION

Following objections from American war veterans, the Smithsonian
Institute toned down the results of the atomic bombing of Japan in its
display of the Enola Gay: the bomber that dropped the first nuclear
weapons.

At the exhibition
it has been decided
not to overemphasise
consequences:
vapourizing, burning,
lingering long deaths in pain.

It is an ordinary plane.

The sixth of August, nineteen forty five.
Let us not overemphasise
the deadly gift
given unto us,
now and forevermore.

They were a murderous enemy.

Look at this plane: Enola Gay.
In the seaport city it was to be
an ordinary day.......
housewives haggling over prices,
neighbours' smalltalk, babies' bawling,
children just beginning school.

Hiroshima, Nagasaki. Let us not remember
these were but the infant bombs.

Oh, let us not remember
the burning and the pain.
It was another day beginning.

Then all the sky was turned to flame.