Description: The paper crane has become an international symbol of peace in recent years as a result of its connection to the story of a young Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki born in 1943. Sadako was two years old when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945. As she grew up, Sadako was a strong, courageous and athletic girl. In 1955, at age 11, while practicing for a big race, she became dizzy and fell to the ground. Sadako was diagnosed with Leukemia, "the atom bomb" disease.
Sadako's best friend told her of an old Japanese legend which said that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes would be granted a wish. Sadako hoped that the gods would grant her a wish to get well so that she could run again. She started to work on the paper cranes and completed over 1000 before dying on October 25, 1955 at the age of twelve.
Sadako and the 1000 paper cranes
A child furiously folding
Brightly colored paper
Into winged prayer
A representation of a life
She could scarcely recall
A life torn
Apart
By a chain reaction of atoms
Bent solely on destruction
A child
Furiously
Folding
In hope
Of miracles
Desperate
Her plea for
Peace
Hope
Freedom
From her pain
From destruction
Praying
Fold by fold by fold
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This piece, created in bronze is a testament to the dream of Hope and the power of Miracles. Sadako changed the world, one fold at a time.
