David Kavanagh Poet Rhyme

Onslaught

#One should be cautious in starting a war, but 
once begun, it should be carried out thoroughly#

     #Quote by Hirohito circa Dec 1942#

                       Onslaught 

         As little boy fell over Hiroshima, 
        a demigod dismayed how it grew 
          Into a fat man above Nagasaki, 
        Hirohito said, so I’m the devil too

       Both are one, and the same person, 
        to say otherwise is splitting atoms
         When two suns appear overhead, 
       an emperors duality, cannot fathom 

        And necessary evil is a dubious sin,
       willpower making its choice that day
        Expedience worked saving millions 
        I’m firmly on the side of Enola Gay

     Reckoning came, not a flash in the pan
     for marching POWs to death, at Bataan
       Also, Pearl harbour, Iwo Jima, Guam
      Midway, Okinawa, Tarawa, and Saipan

       Job’s done, the mission accomplished
        a time to celebrate, peace be strong 
     our conscience does not need absolution 
       obliterated by belief, we did no wrong 


Little Boy/Fat man, US code names
for the atomic bombs in WW2

Pick-A-Title, Vol 32 - Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Edward Ibeh
Prompt chosen Onslaught 
07/11/22

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Tom Cunningham April 15, 2026 at 3:05 AM Just had another read David, every normal person wants peace but when the other side is fanatical like the Iranians who follow a twisted ideology then you don't have much choice and you're forced to unleash hell. They'd not think twice about using a nuclear weapon if they had one. Tom David Kavanagh April 15, 2026 at 3:15 AM Of course they wouldn’t, neither would any of their proxies, this Middle East war was always going to happen one way or another, hopefully it will end sooner rather than later, thanks for reading again and your wise words, cheers David Tom Cunningham April 15, 2026 at 3:11 AM Of course I've seen this one before,it was potd in '22. Senior moment lol

Tom Cunningham October 30, 2024 at 11:28 AM Brilliant David, I never saw this one before, but yes, it had to be done, the Japanese were ruthless back then I remember a school friends father was a pow, he was never the same after the war. Always seemed to be deep in thought. They even trained school kids with sharpend bamboos, they would never have surrendered. I'm sure the boffins are compiling a list, Hitler, Mussolini, Amin, Polpot etc etc. Well written David, and yes thousands of lives were saved because of the a bombs. Tom David Kavanagh October 30, 2024 at 11:46 AM Possibly millions of lives Tom truth be told, it had to be done, I’d never have sent an invasion force to Japan before dropping the A Bomb, I could add a few more despots to your list some are still living, and definitely need taking out! Cheers David

Edward Ibeh October 17, 2022 at 3:52 PM A powerful poem with wonderful imagery, David:-) Cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are still affected by the atom bombs to this day! Ain't that something? Heartiest congratulations on your win in my contest! David Kavanagh October 18, 2022 at 1:37 AM Thank you Edward I’m delighted with your placement, all being said, ripples are still felt all around the world from the A bombs, yes they are brutal, but no more than the atrocities committed by the Japanese in WW2, I’m a stern believer they saved millions more lives than they took, cheers David

Paulette Calasibetta October 6, 2022 at 8:22 AM David, sorry I missed this before ~ a very profound write. My dad fought in Okinawa and his riveting stories reverberate in your poetic words. Thank you for the reminder that we did what had to be done. And a belated congratulations on the honor of POTD! Blessings, :)Paulette David Kavanagh October 6, 2022 at 8:49 AM Your father seen the horrors that Japan brought to Okinawa, they even brainwashed its civilians to commit suicide rather than surrendering to the US, a particularly nasty episode in the war, I would contest the bombs saved your father’s life and millions more by ending the war prematurely, and avoiding an invasion of Japan itself, thank you so much for stopping by, cheers David

Sotto Poet September 16, 2022 at 7:59 AM Congratulations on a magnificent POTD David. Outstanding originality! A fav for me. It took me a long time to come around the idea that this course of action was required; nonetheless, I now concur with the notion that it was important to take this step. And, as a military officer for a long time, I am aware that the purpose of war is not destruction but rather creation. Just consider World War I and World War II, as well as all progress and discoveries that humanity has accomplished. Regards David Kavanagh September 16, 2022 at 8:24 AM Thank you so much Lasaad, Necessity is the mother of invention, the bomb was created by the need to win this unprovoked war against America and restore the peace, US had already sacrificed more than enough men for their war effort, Japan is a technological marvel now and a close ally of the western world, as a direct result of new innovations from the war, cheers David

Lady Labyrinth September 15, 2022 at 1:56 AM Let's hope it don't 'appen again. Congrats. David Kavanagh September 15, 2022 at 4:41 AM All we can do is hope, hey have you got me blocked Leanne, can’t seem to comment on your poems, peace be strong cheers David

Panagiota Romios September 12, 2022 at 1:00 PM Congratulations, my friend..on an most excellent creation! A fav in my book! Pangie xx David Kavanagh September 12, 2022 at 2:49 PM Thank you so much Pangie, I appreciate your fav, I honestly believe what was done had to be done, and saved countless lives, ending the war Japan started in the pacific, cheers David

S.Zaynab Kamoonpuri September 11, 2022 at 4:54 AM Aha a great fab poem on the mega Hiroshima nagasaki bombing that killed zillions. I didn't know or get if there was a retaliation for it, certainly not many Americans died in it right? All i know and hope thats what you meant to say as well is that all killing was wrong. Kudos and congrats on your POTD Honour!! David Kavanagh September 11, 2022 at 6:05 AM All killing is wrong, but that’s not to say it’s unjustified, if you start a total war with the US like Japan did, the end will come in whatever way they choose to restore the peace, and save life, cheers David

Constance La France September 10, 2022 at 6:54 AM David, congratulations on POEM OF THE DAY honor _peace and tranquility~ David Kavanagh September 10, 2022 at 8:24 AM Thank you so much for stopping by Constance, long may the peace last, cheers David

Terry Flood September 9, 2022 at 3:05 PM Congratulations, David on a masterful POTD. An uncomfortable but inescapable truth. For some reason ‘little Boy’ and ‘Fat man’ hadn’t gelled in my brain, so a second read, after reading your footnotes, both clarified your opening lines and educated me. Terry David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 3:27 PM Thank you Terry I was always fascinated with the code names used for the A Bombs, they sounded so innocuous, it certainly is an uncomfortable and inescapable truth, but in all honesty I believe it was justified, by ending the damn war saving millions of lives and years more fighting, hope all is well, cheers David

Robert Gorelick September 9, 2022 at 2:35 PM Marvelously worded, congratulations on POTD! I agree on the sentiment that this action was necessary, although it took a long while for me to come around to this point of view. Even Robert Oppenheimer regretted what the Manhattan Project had created, because he was a gentle man! Although necessary, it is still a horrible thing to contemplate. It was General Sherman who said "war is hell" but unfortunately people still don't seem to believe it! Cheers and God Save The King! David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 3:13 PM Thank you Robert, I believe we have to look at this from a historical pov, the axis powers had put the world through hell by the time the bomb was developed, Japan wanted the US to invade its mainland, so it could fight on its own suicidal terms, the bomb saved untold carnage on both sides and ended the war, Oppenheimer believed he had become destroyer of worlds, even General Curtis lemay said if the US had lost he would’ve been tried as a war criminal by Japan, war is hell indeed, cheers David

I Am Anaya September 9, 2022 at 12:00 PM Congratulations on POTD David Kavanagh, Bravo! World War ll was brutal, although I agree with Ann Peck. --But if the Japanese had the "Little boy and Fat man," they wouldn't have hesitated to drop them on the US. Brutality at its worst, check out "Japan's rape of Nanking, China 1936" People need to know about history... Combat serves to de-humanize all involved no matter which side. David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 12:26 PM Thank you Anaya, in a nutshell, the rape of Nanking was horrifically evil, I’ve read books and seen many documentaries on it, they committed atrocities for sadistic fun and amusement, like you said they would’ve dropped the bombs on the US if they had them. A necessary evil expedited and ended an unimaginably brutal war, cheers David

Malabika Ray Choudhury September 9, 2022 at 10:17 AM Congratulations on Your POTD. Brilliant and powerful poem. BW ~ Mala David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 11:19 AM Thank you so much Mala, I take no pleasure in writing such poems, but feel compelled to do so, hope you are keeping well, cheers David

Christuraj Alex September 9, 2022 at 9:13 AM Very beautifully brought out the theme. Great narration. Vivid portrayal. "necessary evil is a dubious sin" - Yes. Congratulations! David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 9:42 AM Thank you Chris, that line probably sums up my poem, when evil is fought by the necessary evil to defeat it, and restoring peace in the process, it is a dubious sin indeed, cheers David

Ann Peck September 9, 2022 at 8:52 AM Perhaps your poem is in response to my Terra Incognita poem...Yes, those were atrocities you mentioned, but the bombs weren't dropped on the perpetrators but on the innocents. Nagasaki was the first test of the plutonium bomb--admitted to be a TEST by scientists. We can disagree as it's in the past. Possibly, we learned. Congrats on POTD. David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 9:34 AM Heya Ann The main perpetrator/Hirohito survived, only because he was needed as a puppet to make the peace more palatable for the Japanese people, his generals and war mongers Tojo and co. either committed suicide or were hung as war criminals, the total war waged by Japan was barbaric and indiscriminate, and in this type of war of annihilation nobody was sacrosanct including civilians, the bombs ended the carnage and the war saving millions of lives, cheers David

L Milton Hankins September 9, 2022 at 8:38 AM Very interesting poem, David. I congratulate you on writing it, and also congratulate you on its becoming P.O.T.D. Marvelous! David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 9:52 AM Judging is pretty biased at times Milton no doubt about it, but I like a contest challenge, even though I know deep down it might be overlooked, thank you for the endorsement of my POTD L Milton Hankins September 9, 2022 at 9:39 AM I understand, David, and I agree with you. I'm not sure contest entries should be named P.O.T.D. because it might bias judging, but on PS, judging is pretty biased anyway, for the most part. The poem is very deserving of P.O.T.D., period. David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 9:20 AM Thank you Milton, it feels very strange writing a poem for a contest, and it becomes POTD, esp one with so much controversy surrounding it, cheers David

Bill Baker September 9, 2022 at 8:00 AM Thanks for an informative poem on the war and ending war. A difficult decision was made that impacted the whole world. If a victory isn't decisive the war will return generation after generation. Congratulations on your POTD, David, well deserved my friend. Bill David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 9:13 AM Victory was indeed decisive Bill, and more importantly brought a lasting peace between US and Japan, without the bomb’s intervention millions more most certainly would’ve died, cheers David

Deb M September 9, 2022 at 7:52 AM Congratulations On POTD David….well done! Debx David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 9:06 AM Thank you Deb, was for Ed’s contest, never thought of it as POTD, cheers David

Joseph May September 9, 2022 at 6:03 AM A tough decision made, but it ended the war and saved many lives, Congrats on POTD David David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 6:40 AM That was always my intention when writing Joseph, the ending of the war and saving life, also the condemnation of a deluded Hirohito for starting the war in the first place, cheers David

Mike Gentile September 9, 2022 at 5:53 AM David, congratulations on your POTD honors! A powereful piece indeed, executed beautifully!! Enjoy your day! David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 6:35 AM Heya Mike, was a bit surprise, but poetry must portray all subjects, even the unimaginable, thank you for such a supportive comment, cheers David

Linda Alice Fowler September 9, 2022 at 5:50 AM Striking (no pun intended) poem David. So well-penned my friend. A sadness throughout with a bit of arrogance at the end. Congratulations on your POTD! Linda David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 6:30 AM Thank you Linda, perhaps saying our conscience doesn’t need absolution, may seem a bit arrogant, but when one believes the right thing was done to save millions of lives, and I do, then conscience is obliterated, Peace be strong, cheers David

Michael Tor September 9, 2022 at 5:26 AM You know David the Japanese drew first blood. They were given ample opportunities to surrender and Hirohito's pride got in the way and caused the actions that we Americans took. Some say the use of force by us was extreme. War is not pretty and not nice but there is no denying that this bomb ended the War and that is a good thing. Unfortunately many died in the bombing and suffered radiation poisoning dying a slow death with burns. History has not learned David from its past. Nicely written... Michael Tor September 9, 2022 at 2:30 PM I agree with you David. David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 6:21 AM Thank you Michael, I agree the suffering was terrible, but would’ve been so much worse if the war was allowed to take a conventional course, US was forced into this war by Hirohito and Japan, I also believe they had no intention of surrendering, til the bombs were dropped, cheers David Michael Tor September 9, 2022 at 5:26 AM Congratulations for receiving POTD...

Beryl Edmonds September 9, 2022 at 4:48 AM Congratulations on poem of the day David for your well written poem “Onslaught” …Belle David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 6:17 AM Thank you Belle, I was very surprised with the potd honour, it is a controversial subject, but necessary to remember, cheers David

Vijay Pandit September 9, 2022 at 4:36 AM BIG congrats on POTD, David. Not easy to talk about wars, but you conveyed this admirably. Enjoy your day. David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 6:14 AM Thanks Vijay, Certainly is a big topical one to take on, but I felt compelled to write, Not about triumphalism more about restoring peace to an insane war, cheers

John Lawless September 9, 2022 at 4:29 AM masterfully written David. Poetically sound and historically on track. David Kavanagh September 9, 2022 at 6:02 AM Thank you John, I do try in my historic poems to be as accurate as possible, whilst staying faithful to the poetic delivery, cheers David

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