DIES IRAE HIROSHIMA NAGASAKI
By: Joseph A. Volker, Ph.D.
August 6, 2005
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Dies irae, dies illa
Oh, day of wrath. Oh, day of mourning
See fulfilled the prophets warning,
Heaven and earth in ashes burning
Death is struck and nature quaking
Nothing unavenged remaineth.
Hiroshima
Nagasaki!
Doomed to flames of woe
unbounded.
*******************************************
Day of infamy extolling, bombs of
sin-ergy exploding
Shadow staining,
flesh enflaming.
Oh that day of tears
and sorrow.
What shall I frail man
be pleading,
Hiroshima Nagasaki!
Worthless are my prayers and sighing.
***************************************
From retribution who will save
us?
For the deed so baneful fashioned
For destruction, dissolution.
All our shame with anguish owning,
When of heaven’s judgment stoning
Deeds, disaster, death deciding,
Hiroshima, Nagasaki !
Adam,
atoms, madness reigning.
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Grim the reaper still he’s
knocking,
Nations lust for power
and war.
Future tense with resolution,
Seeking pardon’s destitution.
Expiation, exorcism, dispensation
for the crime,
Hiroshima, Nagasaki !
Enola Gay, proliferation.
******************************************
Stave the arsenal of madness.
Conjure sanity and wisdom,
Grace and absolute contrition.
Embryonic seeds of death,
Nuclear
nights consuming fires.
War forsake,
a nation’s pleading,
Hiroshima, Nagasaki!
Peace not war, true trust restore.
*****************************************
David and the Sybil joining,
Cast out the spell of vengeance' kneading,
Iron hull of hate’s dark seething.
Not in armaments alluring,
Not in gleaning wealth and power,
Death dark rains, Hibakusha's sorrow,
Hiroshima, Nagasaki!
Bleeding, burning vengeful fire.
****************************************
Grant them Lord, your consolation.
Spare us Lord, the conflagration!
Oh, good Jesus, peace restore.
Through thy peace alone intone
Sadako
Sas'ki’s, deathbed prayer,
Peace
not war,
not Nagasaki !
Peace not war,
not Hiroshima !
*******************************
Lay down your arms, embrace your child.
Forgive, repent but don’t forget.
Never Again! Amen.
