Deep in the rubble
Where slivers of light
Sneak their way past
Huge blocks of blasted concrete
To briefly flash on the retinas
Of the little children trapped there,
Where sounds become impossibly faint
And contort themselves into
Alien noises
As they grope their way
Through the remains of collapsed hospitals
Shattered apartment buildings
Demolished schools
On their way to the eardrums
Of the little children trapped there,
The little children trapped there
Are exhausted from weeping,
Exhausted from desperately calling out
For mama and papa,
Exhausted from the horror
Of being unable to move
And alone in the dark,
Exhausted from wondering,
“What did I do wrong? What did I do wrong?
What did I do wrong?”
Deep in the rubble
The little children trapped there
Still have hope
That they will be rescued
And returned to their parents’ arms,
To their homes and families and friends.
The little children trapped there
Are falling asleep in spite of the pain,
In spite of the fear,
In spite of the terrifying whine
Of killer jets overhead
And the earth-shaking thunder of monster bombs
Pulverizing the city.
Falling asleep
The little children trapped there
Quietly tell themselves
That mama and papa will find them soon,
Quietly tell themselves
That everything will be all right.
