Dedicated to the victims of war-torn countries; especially the victims of the recent chemical attack in Syria.
As I slept…
As I slept, the stars shined bright,
I dreamed my dreams through silent night.
Peace is rest and rest is peace,
How precious is the gift of sleep!
The quiet hope of breaking dawn;
I slept with faith in brand new morn,
The joy to “be” was simple best,
When fear danced not in my chest.
As I slept, I’d been estranged,
Bad tidings in the winds of change,
My troubled thoughts ran to and fro,
Should I stay or should I go?
The rumbling engines loomed above,
Below, the streets were stained with blood.
The deafening sound of smouldering hate,
My innocence was swept away.
As I slept, in shambled walls,
I trembled under ragged shawl.
I heard the hollow screams of pain;
They forced a lady into shame…
Again my thoughts ran to and fro,
Should I stay or should I go?
I wrestled hard with broken sleep,
As fear paralysed my feet.
As I slept, the children cried,
There was no one to wipe their eyes,
Exploding walls had done their part,
And stilled their parent’s beating hearts.
As metal fired and blades cut deep,
My weary body battled sleep.
My shoulder pressed against the floor,
With widened eyes I watched my door.
As I slept, I longed to eat;
Such unrealistic basic need!
I summoned thankfulness to say,
“I eat almost everyday…”
As numbness overwhelms my being,
Mind and body try to agree;
As I’m warmed by scenes from old,
At every sound my blood runs cold…
As I slept, I heard them come,
It seemed like nothing; I didn’t run.
There really wasn’t much to see,
But it was getting hard to breathe.
My mouth began to drool and foam;
The cruelest of all cruel blows…
I had not time to fill with dread,
I gasped and then I woke up dead.
Will you stop to hear my tale;
From well beyond the hopeless grave?
Can you face the truth that is?
Can you bring hope to those that live?
Vengeance rests in heaven’s hand;
For vengeance ridden, war-torn land.
But will another life seem cheap,
When you lay down your head to sleep?
Will you sleep and think of me?
Or will you sleep with apathy?
Will you face the truth that is?
Will you bring hope to those that live?
Will you ponder agony?
Will you respond with empathy?
Will you face the truth that is?
Will you bring hope to those that live?
– Melissa Domingo
17 April, 2017