Reflections on the Day Pearl Harbor Was Attacked

 

81 years ago, Americans awoke to a Sunday at peace greet
Europe was in flames and England desperately tried to stave off defeat
The Soviets had the Wehrmacht knocking at Moscow’s Gates
Hoping the Russian winter prevents them from joining vanquished nations’ fates
In America we were going to church, going to the movies, attending sporting events
A Sunday drive to vising friends or family, a Sunday dinner to relish then hear radio shows  to present
While miles away in Hawaii, the Sun that rises always in the East
Had divided into over 300 suns from the West, launched from the Martian carrier beasts
The alarm too late was sounded “Pearl Harbor is under attack, this is no drill”
After 2 waves of suns on wings over 3500 Americans had been killed
And by the grace of God and lucky American carriers met a different fate
They  had been delivering planes out at sea to miss the bombing and torpedoing the other ships did await
Before the attack on Pearl the nation was divided on going to war to England aid
A strong majority on declaring war against German wanted Congress forbade
Japan had declared war on us on the 7^th and our response was quick to declare in kind the next day
82-0 in the Senate and 388-1 in the House and the die was cast to thousands of Americans and Japanese to slay
Total deaths augmented by Hitler’s and Mussolini’s idiocy to against the U.S. join in the fray
Totally clueless how quickly American industry on the battlefields, sea lanes and in the air massive arms to display
The nation was united in a way it had never been before
Probably the last good war compared to the later for us in store
On this day we hope our foes are not by our divisiveness misled
Assuming if attacked we would not rise up and to their defeat move quickly ahead

© December 7, 2022 Michael P. Ridley aka The Alaskanpoet