Hiroshima, Nagasaki

From a sequence called “Lines from Point Loma.” The latter is a naval installation west of San Diego. Published in vol. II of By the Rivers of Edo (Amazon.com), which means I must have written it about 1989. Wayne Pounds

3. Bellum Perpetuum 

perennial wars possess
the land and the sea—
tell me which wind is the king’s 

at the banquet politicos speak 

cucumbers gleam with pleasure 

greenbacks in a row 

fearing the Asian horde
with nervous pink nails
one ploughs his sun-bleached hair 

  

4. Thanatos 

Perry from the black ship raised his window shade 

the Bakufu faded 

between red chaos and blue routine lives Thanatos 

5. FLASH 

JEWISH ÉMIGRÉS HARNESS THE SUN 

NUCLEAR BABY IS BORN
PIKA-PIKA . . . DON 

all that was left was
three jewels and the throne 

the Emperor wept 

6. Dance 

sunburst on two cities
the sun’s own descendants charred in the radiance 

in her jeweled cities Amaterasu’s children

danced the fiery dance 

7. Stillness 

•    kuni yaburete
   sanga ari 
•   kingdoms fall
  mountains and rivers remain 
•  
  pebble scut as the wave passes 
•   poluphloisboios thalassa
  a stillness outlasts all wars