circa 1950

Children,
this is the way you will be saved
from a nuclear attack.  At the sound
of the bell you will scramble as fast
as you can under your desk
and into a kneeling position facing
downward toward the floor
with your head resting on your arms. 
You will keep your eyes squeezed
tightly closed, not opening them
or looking up until you hear me say
 “All clear.”

This is the way you will be saved
from shards of glass and other objects
traveling at speeds of hundreds of miles
per hour.  And from the flash of white
light that could melt your eyeballs.  And
from the explosion that could scramble
your brains and the rest of your organs.
And this is the way you will be saved
from the fire that may incinerate you,
leaving you all shriveled, charred
and lifeless.  This is not what we want
for our children.

And this is the way you will be saved
from the radiation that will cause your gums
to bleed, your hair to fall out, leukemia
to form in your blood, and lead
to either a slow and painful death
or to a more rapid and painful death.
Pay close attention to the directions
so that you will get it right the first time.