Critical Mass

'39
Europe's plains
Blood and fire spill again
Warring forces set their cause
The race for fission had begun

Powers of destruction sought
Hidden by the hand of God
Took six years to conceive
Construct, deploy, and now destroy

Burning sky. Say goodbye to the rising Sun
In a mushroom cloud. Heaven knows what we've begun
Firestorm, earth consumed with a fervent heat
Power loosed, now we cannot kill this beast

'45
Pacific isle
A bird flies out before the dawn
Oppenheimer's legacy is carried by Enola Gay

Many sons owe their thanks
To the heroes of that day
But victory was bittersweet
As many blameless were swept away

Burning sky. Say goodbye to the rising Sun
In a mushroom cloud. Heaven knows what we've begun
Firestorm, earth consumed with a fervent heat
Power loosed, now we cannot kill this beast

Hell on earth had been released