Akito's World Comes To An End

Akito’s World Comes To An End By Elton Camp Akito and I were born days and a world apart He never saw the emperor, not I Roosevelt Lives in peril, but we knew not why Parents in hushed tones conversing Events as much beyond their control as ours A swirling vortex of a war about to conclude Hitler was dead, but really who was he? The master race down, slanted eyes to go Death and destruction on a worldwide scale An island nation struggling in its final throes From the sky fell a bomb and then another Sound, light, heat, wind, pain, peeling skin I have no memory of it, nor does Akito Each of us involved with childish play Akito died on that day a lifetime ago Entirely as uncomprehending as was I I lived on and now have grown old That’s how it is with children of war