the shadows fall
long and merciless
over the dust of
this brutality
and your hopeless
despair.
all you are
is under siege.

at the end of
your dreams you
wake up with the
taste of iron on
your tongue and
your heart's metallic
clang beating a
terrible rhythm.

those roofs
that our
fathers
built

have all
tumbled in.
cinders
glowing

in our
simmering
rage

the rafters
caved
in over

the blistered
rotted
floors

where we've
lain like
mute

dogs
whimpering
and begging

for the
hunger

for the
darkness

to subside

all that
remained
was the
ash. falling
gently
upon our
lashes
and lids
as we
closed
our eyes
against
the laden
greyness.
and into
the final
slumber we
sloped away
with the
embers
softly
hissing.