A poem about nuclear disarmament

• US FOUNDING father Patrick Henry said give me liberty or give me death!

He did not say give me liberty or give everybody death!

If we go Boom and you go Splat
There’s no more to be said
Except that some of us will live
When all of you are dead.

If you go Boom and we go Splat
The converse will ensue:
You will survive but we shall die,
With our deaths down to you.

Neither alternative is nice.
Nevertheless, at least,
In either case someone remains:
The species has not ceased;

Whereas if everyone goes Boom
Then everyone goes Splat:
The planet may continue but
In people terms, that’s that.

We cannot read your mind: we do
Not know how you’ll behave.
All we are sure of is that we’ve
Humanity to save.

So we’ll renounce our Boom machines.
Our gesture may bear fruit.
We have Yessed life: dare we now hope
That you will follow suit?

ROBERT ILSON
NW3