AT THE EXHIBITION

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 weapon.


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 baby bombs.

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

Then all the sky was turned to flame.