This WWII-inspired poem explores the fascination and horror evoked by the image of destruction and the profound questions it raises. No matter one’s opinion on the events of World War II and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it’s impossible to dismiss the emotion felt within the lines of this modern poem.
Summary
‘Aerial Photograph Before the Atomic Bomb’ by Toi Derricotte is a stunning modern depiction of the bombing of Hiroshima using various examples of figurative language and imagery.
In the first lines of this poem, the speaker describes studying a photograph in Life magazine that captures the moment before the atomic bomb’s detonation. They are intrigued by the central image of a spinning wheel resembling a Ferris wheel, with its lights burning like eyes. The spinning atom symbolizes the destructive force about to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting planet below.
As the speaker contemplates the photograph, they reflect on the town lying beneath the bomb, drawing a chilling parallel between the town and a child sleeping under the watchful gaze of a rapist. The poem concludes with a contemplation of alternate outcomes. They wonder if the destructive force could be sucked back into its lead container, preventing the cataclysmic aftermath.
Structure and Form
‘Aerial Photograph Before the Atomic Bomb’ by Toi Derricotte is a thirty-seven-line poem that is written in free verse. This means that the poet chose not to use a specific rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. The lines are all close to the same length, though, creating a sort of visual unity that makes each part of the poem feel as though they fit together.
Literary Devices
In this poem, the poet makes use of a few different literary devices. For example:
- Allusion: throughout this poem, the poet alludes to the events of WWII and the suffering of the Japanese people after the bombing of Hiroshima (and Nagasaki).
- Caesura: can be seen when the poet inserts a pause into the middle of a line of text. For example, “Catch my eye? After Hiroshima,”
- Enjambment: occurs when the poet cuts off a line before its natural stopping point. For example, the transition between lines one and two as well as three and four.
- Metaphor: can be seen when the poet compares two things without using “like” or “as.” For example, the poet compares the image of Hiroshima before the bombing to a wheel “in the middle of the air” and how it “turned.”
Detailed Analysis
Lines 1-12
Why did such terrible events
catch my eye? After Hiroshima,
I turned the picture in Life around
in circles, trying to figure out this huge
wheel in the middle of the air, how it turned,
like a ferris wheel, its lights
burning like eyes.
The atom spinning
on course over the sleeping
vulnerable planet. I turned it the way one might
turn a kaleidoscope or prism. Even then I
knew about the town lying under,
In the first lines of this poem, the speaker reflects on their initial reaction to witnessing the terrible events of Hiroshima and engages with a photograph depicting the aftermath of the atomic bomb.
The poem begins with a rhetorical question, “Why did such terrible events / catch my eye?” This indicates the speaker’s curiosity and the paradoxical nature of being drawn to events of destruction and suffering.
The speaker mentions in the next lines what happened during their encounter with a photograph in Life magazine that captured the aftermath of Hiroshima. They describe physically moving the picture by turning it around in circles, therefore attempting to comprehend the enormity of the situation.
In the next few lines, the poet describes the “atom,” the source of all the destructive power, spinning above the “vulnerable” and “sleeping” planet. This evokes a sense of ever-present danger.
Lines 13-25
like a child sleeping under the
watchful gaze of a rapist, before the spasm of
(…)
predictable as machinery- an antique clock.
In the following lines, the poet uses a simile, comparing the atom spinning above the earth to a “child sleeping under the / watchful gaze of a rapist.” Here, the reader will necessarily connect the child to the innocent people in the town of Hiroshima and the rapist to the bomb and/or the United States.
This comparison is shocking and evokes a sense of violation and vulnerability. It suggests that the impending destruction is not only catastrophic but also morally reprehensible.
The imagery continues with the mention of a spasm of stopped breath and the closure at the scream of the throat. These phrases depict the abrupt cessation of life and the resulting silence in the face of overwhelming destruction. The poet chooses to use physical and sensory details throughout this poem, such as the scream of the throat. This helps create an intense impact on the reader.
In the next lines, the poem describes the awakening of the body along its shocked spine to bursting light. This imagery suggests the sudden and violent awakening of the body as it is consumed by the intense heat and light of the explosion.
The subsequent mention of the closing legs and arms likened to a chilled flower, adds to the imagery of vulnerability and powerlessness in the face of destruction. It’s also quite easy to continue relating these images to the overarching image of the child and rapist.
The speaker then connects the poem, in some ways, to an experience they had in the past. They recall a heat they felt before in their house on Norwood. This is possibly alluding to a traumatic event or a metaphorical representation of personal struggles.
Lines 26-37
This was the instant
before destruction,
(…)
of contained passion?
In the final lines of the poem, the poet turns back to the bomb-related imagery. The speaker reflects on the moment right before the destruction caused by the atomic bomb, considering the possibility of reversing or preventing the catastrophic event.
The section begins with the declaration that this was the instant before destruction, highlighting the pivotal moment that precedes the devastating consequences of the bomb. The speaker describes the fiery atom as being stuck, as if under the control of the artist.
This image suggests a sense of suspended animation or the possibility of halting the destructive process. The use of the term “artist” adds a layer of irony, as an artist typically creates beauty and harmony.
The concluding lines of the poem introduce the idea that the men involved in the creation and use of the bomb could have taken a different path. Instead of going on to suicide and madness, the speaker envisions them becoming lovers, priests, Buddhist smilers, scholars, or gardeners in the small plots of contained passion.
Their passion and interests would’ve stayed contained, like plants in a garden, and not spilled out into the immense death and terror that they did.
FAQs
The tone of this poem is a combination of fascination, horror, reflection, and contemplation. The speaker struggles to understand the devastating events depicted in the photograph and also considers how things might’ve been different.
The context of this poem is the aftermath of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. It engages with the historical event and its profound impact on humanity. The poem explores the speaker’s response to witnessing the destructive power of the bomb through a photograph.
The poet likely wrote this piece to delve into the complexities and consequences of the atomic bomb’s deployment. It serves as a means of contending with the horror of such a catastrophic event.
Similar Poetry
Readers who enjoyed this poem should also consider reading some other related poems. For example:
- ‘Let Us Be Midwives’ by Sadako Kurihara – is a powerful wartime poem that describes a few moments of despair and a few of hope in the aftermath of the atomic bombing.
- ‘November’ by William Stafford – a heart-wrenching and important poem that was inspired by the WWII bombing of Hiroshima.
- ‘Epic’ by Patrick Kavanagh compares a shouting match over land in Ireland to the outbreak of World War II and the Trojan War.
