Research the American bombing of Nagasaki during World War II, and compare it to the bombing of Hiroshima in terms of lost lives, destroyed buildings, and defeated morale. Present your findings to the class.  

Compare the two voices in the poem: the American's and the survivor's. Which is more powerful, and why? Write a short essay backing up your claim with well-developed reasons.  

Research the religions of Japan, and discuss how "The Garden Shukkei-en" can be considered a religious poem.  

Compare "The Garden Shukkei-en" with the poem that comes after it, "The Testimony of Light," in terms of how each represents the catastrophe of Hiroshima. Which is more powerful, and why? Discuss your responses in groups.  

Many historians continue to claim that the United States had to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki or else the war...