“Today the bells of Nagasaki echo in the sky…”
—Iccho Itoh
The sky, bitter, blue, unyielding, holds promise.
The city, so magical and welcoming, deserved far better.
The clouds opened and made space for devastation.
The people below never knew what happened.
The flowers returned before anyone expected.
The memories are painful, sometimes unbearable.
The words of apology never came.
The survivors grow old and feeble.
The generations pass.
The youth know so little of the tragedy.
The air above the sea is thick with sorrow.
The bells ring out for peace.
They echo in the sky’s embrace.
