Wings of Black

An on-the-fly, mostly unedited composition about a nuclear weapon test, of which the United States carried out 327 of between 1945 and 1962.

white, white, red

sun rising in the west on the water
clouds moving to drown in the islands
washing it all away in a storm
pressing against the earth in life
lingering in the sky in death

grasping for air in a sea of orange
nothing left but fire and ashes
a castle of green glass
embracing with the ticks of a clock
a countdown to scratching static

tidal wave of pressure passing
the watch melts backwards liquid crystal
rising and falling plasma cries
as a million tiny molecules die
bright blue and gold and red and orange

then suddenly light is no more
night returns to eyes shadowed
by dark glasses of grey and greyer
five seconds over five hours of flying
soaring dragons on wings of black
bells ringing in the faithful silence
gone is the pulse of oxygen devoured
only a rumble and footprint of a titan
the gaping black sky singing on high
hymns of coughing and failing stars