I see the fire, eating everything in its course
Smoke, like the hand of death
Suffocates innocent people with its claws
The broken glass litters the streets
And the night drags on.

I smell the burning paper and buildings
The scent of hate pollutes the air
Scorched flesh bites at the senses
And the stench of revulsion burns in my nose
But the night drags on.

I hear the thuds of human bodies
Beaten and abused as if they were wild animals
I hear the shatter of broken glass
And the heart-stopping sound of gunfire
But the night drags on.

I feel so afraid, so vulnerable
Why do they loathe us so?
I don’t know what will happen next
Am I craven for succumbing to these evil people?
Must the night drag on?

First beam of sunlight
Dawn has graced this wrecked land
The black, smoky sky has waned
Night is over
But the terror will drag on.