今年の広島•平和記念式典で、石破茂首相のあいさつがあり、「太き骨は先生ならむ（だと思われる）そのそばに　小さきあたまの骨あつまれり」と被爆歌人•正田篠枝氏(1910-1965)の短歌を引用されました。
それは、広島平和記念公園の中に「原爆犠牲国民学校教師と子供の碑」がありその銘板に書かれている歌です。

原爆にあい、教師の周りに集まってきた子供達、教え子を守りきれないまま命途絶えた。アッと言うまであったのか、無念と思いながら終えたのか、それはわからない。しかし、小さい骨が大きな骨の周りに集まっていたのはなんとも悲しいことです。

「これは80年前の広島での出来事」ではありますが、今のこの時代でも、「戦争」というばかりでなく、日々あるそれぞれの「苦しみ」に、一人一人与えられた「命」をだいじに生きてと思います。　

Longer version
At this year’s Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba quoted a tanka poem by Shoda Shinoe, a poet who survived the atomic bombing. The poem reads, “The thick bones are those of a teacher, and beside them are gathered the small bones of children.” This poem is inscribed on a monument in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park dedicated to the teacher and children who perished in the atomic bomb. The sight of the small bones gathered around the large bones is deeply sorrowful. Despite what happened 80 years ago, I believe we should cherish our lives, not only in times of war, but also in our daily struggles.

Shorter version
Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru referenced a poem that says, “Small head bones gathered around large head bones.” The poem suggests that a teacher may have tried to save her students, but ultimately could not. The verse is inscribed on a stone statue depicting a woman with a boy. However, the woman appears to be in despair, seemingly alone and almost devoid of the will to live.