Black Rain

That morning doomsday dawned twice: first

at the c**k’s crow; then three hours later --

when Hades slipped away from the heavens.

God, no longer neutral, had chosen a side,

determined a loser from the bounty of colicky babes

squabbling over the spilled milk of their nascent empires.

The long millennials wait, war of scriptures,

poised to finally know its answer --

the eternal breath was approximately

forty-three seconds. Long enough, perhaps

to finish brushing your teeth, water the plants …

before the flash of light seared the mind shut.

Those who survived Mrs. Tibbets’s little boy would

live the rest of their lives in terror of the dawn.

Haunted by visions, spirits they couldn’t name,

always certain of the looming Hell of a black rain.

Ken e Bujold

Reviews

[1809 Black Plague Decem..]

Dear Ken e Bujold, I like it, funny, graphic, but I like the whole nightmare, the mentioning of rain, black rain, and all the imagery, great write!
---Maynard

[Ookpik]

Hey Ken,

I second Titilayo below - really strong, layered work.

"determined a loser from the bounty of colicky babes
squabbling over the spilled milk of their nascent empires."

Damn - super impressive!

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks for stopping by O. Glad you enjoyed the poem

[Titilayo Sarah Eguridu]

Did I imagine a dual plot?
The c**k crowing( The denial of Christ by Peter)
Hades slipping by( The crucifixion of Jesus Christ)
My favorite part was “God, no longer neutral, had chosen a side”
Twining the past to a present story…
“ Those who survived Mrs Tibbet’s little boy”
This is fantastic story craftsmanship Ken.

[Ken e Bujold]

yes there is a duality at play. Key to unlocking poem is in the "those who survived" line. Mrs Tibbetts's little boy was Cpt Paul Tibbets who piloted the Enola Gay that dropped the Little Boy atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
The double dawn of Aug, 6, 1945.
Religion plays a role in my work quite often, as a way of conjoining thoughts/themes to metaphors that squeeze the senses of our morality.

Glad you enjoyed the work T

[Titilayo Sarah Eguridu]

O wow!
I quite enjoyed reading your work…it’s brilliant.
There is a great show of craftsmanship in your work.
I will be stopping by more often.
I will also do some research on Mrs. Tibbet’s boy.
I have read about the Hiroshima war but didn’t pay much attention.
Thank you so much Ken.
You make reading worthwhile