it would be so exciting

it would be so powerful

it would punish us for our sins

things wouldn’t be so boring anymore

we could get back to basics

we would remember who we love

it would be so loud

it would be so hot

the mushroom clouds would rise up

we could start over

we wouldn’t have to be afraid of it anymore

we wouldn’t have to be afraid anymore

we would finally have it

then we could rest

From the Winter 1984 issue of Inquiring Mind (Vol. 1, No. 2)

Text © 1984–2023 by Alia Johnson