Nagasaki Day

Nagasaki Day

Oh, you say it's not Nagasaki Day
and you may be right
or you may not know Nagasaki Day

'cuz the Bomb didn't strike exactly
as targeted - at city center - rather burst
over a Catholic Church in a poor neighborhood
for Nagasaki there was no collateral damage
we hadn't invented the term, means to obscure death
so we can't very easily talk about Nagasaki
and besides, WE DON'T DO THAT NOW...
although we reserve the right.

we have vaults with film of Nagaroshima
color photos of puddles of skin
but in order to see them, find them,
you have to believe it's Nagasaki Day

It wasn't me, you say, that chose Nagasaki
and so I don't celebrate. I honor Hiroshima
because it was first.

Shock and Awe like Blitzkrieg
drone drops not Nagasaki
'cuz the joystick jockeys in aircon Vegas trailers
paint their death and watch it
dulled by a flickerhypno screen

maybe they're flying air Nagasaki
in a small way, you say.
there may be Collateral Damage...
The drones aren't carrying nukes

But I say every day is Nagasaki Day,
we reserve the right...

-bob phillips
8/3/2011