On the beach of the island
where Japanese soldiers
and the invading U.S. marines
fought one of the fiercest battles
in human history
in the spring of 1945
two island fishermen
are now mending their fishing nets
by their boat
under the bright Okinawan sun.
The sea is crystal blue
and the sand is blindingly white
as if no human blood had been shed
the air is clean and pure
as if no battle smoke had covered up the island
birds are singing
in the seaside woods
as if no dying human beings
had writhed and groaned
here
right on this very beach.
'