The Nightmare

The sky is dark and approaching dawn

With no stars, as the sky is to pour down.

I sit there sweaty and scared

With fright that can’t be shared

I look around, the room is calm

And my little baby sleeps with all the charm.

I pulled the blanket from her face,

Kissed her and rushed in a quick pace.

Walking across the room I reached the window

The calm night for me was a weeping widow.

As I stood there I thought of the nightmare,

Was it true or just a dream?

As any other day I woke up early in the morning,

But the bed was stiff and there were no birds calling.

The place was different, yet it felt like home

I turned and saw my loved ones sleep; oh that was just the norm.

An hour passed by, I closed the door as they left,

It was then that I heard the sudden blow.

I stood there not knowing what to do,

There were people down the road, not knowing where to go.

I knew instantly what was happening,

I ran outside not knowing where I am going.

I heard my neighbor murmur ‘the school’.

I look up and saw the smoke rising from the north.

I didn’t know which place was blown

But my world came shattering down.

I run towards the smoke with many others,

I saw many I recognize, as many other mothers.

My mind registers nothing, the shouts or cries or what they say,

My legs were aching, the half done tar piercing all the way.

I don’t know how much time had passed,

But over there people in brown had the doors latched.

I ran into the crowd and hit a fireman, who asked me to slow,

Between the people reaching in I saw my husband’s shadow.

My legs were betraying me, and I was pushed to the side,

Something hurt my leg and I looked down.

The mirror on the front of the school lay broken,

And then I saw myself and stood there frozen.

I sat on the couch and thought of that I saw minutes ago,

Oh dear, it was just a dream and had to let it go.

I look up and lock my eyes with the women in the mirror, me?

But that face, she looks like me, how can that be?

I start shivering and there are tears in my eyes,

This was true unlike many other lies.

Somewhere around the world she lives,

And now, she’s living the day I just saw, across the seas.

I went to bed trying to forget and to be at peace,

But sleep was miles away and didn’t touch my eyes.

Hours went by, and I did all my chores in a daze.

I heard the doorbell ring; the newspaper boy was on his usual race.

I heard my husband swear as he read out the news,

There was another school bombing in Palestine.

The bowl in my hand went crashing down.

My knees gave away and I fell.