Here's how the irony plays out:
* The child's innocent request: The poem begins with a child asking her mother if she can go to the "big demonstration" in Birmingham. She sees the "march for freedom" as an exciting, almost celebratory event.
* The mother's cautious response: The mother, understanding the dangers of the civil rights movement, tries to protect her daughter. She emphasizes the importance of staying home, where it's "safe."
* The tragic outcome: Despite the mother's hopes for a peaceful summer, the poem ends with the child's death in the bombing. The "safe" place she stayed in becomes the site of unimaginable tragedy.
This juxtaposition between the child's innocent desire for a summer of freedom and the brutal reality of the bombing creates a powerful sense of irony. It highlights the stark reality of racial injustice and the fragility of peace, even in a child's innocent hope.