Author’s Notes

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“WE DISCUSS THE BOMB” was first published in 1972 in Bitterroot. The poem was inspired by a conversation she had with her young son.

REFRACTIONS –a memoir piece by Kathleen Roxby

“THE LAST AIR RAID SIREN” speaks of the author’s thoughts as she experienced the changing war preparations of the atomic age in the years following the end of WWII.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“THE LAST BATTLEFIELD” was written many years ago during the Cold War arms race after the author read that both the US and USSR had stockpiled enough nuclear armaments to destroy the world three times over. However, the first time she shared the poem with a poetry group, one of the listeners—whose husband was dying of cancer—saw her husband as the warrior in the poem. The poet has since refused to explain this poem when she presents it. It is included this month because of the anniversary of bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Japan just before the ending of WWII in the Pacific region.