Hiroshima Shadow

Where a bicycle bell once tinkled, a memorial bell now tolls. When the clouds lifted and radioactive dust had settled, only shadows remained, ghosts burned into concrete, brick and stone, haunting the ash-covered landscape. What happened to the bike and its owner? Only the faded outline remained, and the hope that someone returned and rode the bike away.

blasted in concrete
dark shadows begin to fade
with the wheel of time

Kim M. Russell, 5th August 2019

Image result for hiroshima shadows
Image found on thesun.co.uk

My response to dVerse Poets Pub Haibun Monday: Hiroshima Day 2019 – A Reflection on Peace

Frank is our host for this Monday, reminding us that tomorrow marks the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, which we commemorated this memorial on Haibun Monday.

Frank says that while the annual memorial commemorates the fallen, it is also an occasion to reflect on hope, and he has shared haiku by Yasuhiko Shigemoto, as well as poems by William Stafford and Sadako Kurihara, a poet and peace activist who survived the Hiroshima bombing.

Franks would like us to write haibun to commemorate Hiroshima. This year, however, we should focus not on despair of nuclear holocaust, but on hope born of rising from the ashes.

29 thoughts on “Hiroshima Shadow”

      2. I passed the information on to members of dVerse and some of them already knew about it. I heard earlier on today that the site had been taken down. Well done to you all!

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Another superb job on your part; those shadows burned into streets and walls are surreal and terrifying.
    Everyone is rising to the challenge; exciting poetics all around.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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