David Chadwick

A poem for the month - December

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Red at Night

Among my childhood memories from long ago

Was one that always made me feel a little puzzled

We were outside and looking at the heavens high above

And they were painted with a strange and haunting glow

 

We stood quite still, holding breath, amazed at what we saw

A pinkish wash spread out and brightly lit the atmosphere

Covering the sky from edge to distant edge

Spellbound but uncertain, we gazed in silent awe

 

I’ve often wondered since about that ghostly light

Today, technology provides the means for looking back

So I did just that and found out what it was

That coloured the world on that mysterious night

 

***

 

Starfish Prime

high-altitude nuclear test

detonated 9 July, 1962

at 11:00:09 pm Hawaiian time

 

400 kms above Johnston Atoll

a thermonuclear weapon

set off in outer space

producing a light show

 

seen right around the Pacific

not to mention the EMP

(the electro-magnetic pulse),

which was terrific

 

It blew out streetlights

in Hawaii, sent radiation

high into the atmosphere,

disabled six satellites,

 

caused radio blackouts,

and telephone outages.

No supernatural source, just stupid humans again

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, without a doubt