Bullies

One minute to midnight On The Nuclear Threat Clock The world suddenly started To reel with shock. Nineteen hundred and sixty two, Khrushchev shared, Fidel Castro dared, John F Kennedy declared, And the world trembled As two fleets assembled On the Atlantic Ocean Bound to converge. With bated breath we waited For a winner to emerge As the world’s two bullies Played potentially lethal games Seemingly a bit more serious than Sabre rattling and calling names. They strode the world, Fought the odd proxy war But this time it seemed Just a little more. And then all of a sudden One backed down One fleet sailed for home As the other turned round. The victor crowed as The vanquished lost face And they started off again With their power race. The school yard trembled And then settled down As each continued with Another propaganda round. The schoolyard bullies Put their toys away But readily available for The next time they played. On The Nuclear Threat Clock They moved the hands back Until the next time the world Again feared a nuclear attack.