Introduction: This poem I wrote this morning  (24/08/2016) was inspired by the sight of the 5 year old boy Omran covered in mud and blood seated in an ambulance after being rescued from a building that exploded due to an airstrike in war torn Aleppo, Syria.
I had seen the picture (see attached) before but on 22nd & 23rd August I watched the video and was overcome with grief & tears at the devastation of human lives due to war.

Can you imagine?
Life in a place of devastation,
bombs flying hither and tither.
Your emotions shattered to smithereens,
as the buildings and lives around
you and knocked down trees.

Can you imagine?
Whole families disappearing
’cause of bombing and the
hurling of grenades,
either by death or fleeing homes
in areas declared eery war zones.

Can you imagine?
Babes, new born and as young
as five covered in mud,
blood and the wrappings of death,
either for burial or to live as zombies,
along walking dead paths.

Can you imagine?
Adults wailing, children
screaming, dogs whimpering.
The earth shaking at the
weight of multitudes fleeing.
The sounds of glass shattering
and buildings exploding.
The sight of bodies assaulted and raped
lying lifeless on concrete spattered streets.

Can you imagine?
The silence of a ghost town
that once was filled with laughter
’cause of the circus clown,
and people striding at ease
along its well paved streets.
With children playing and
lovers strolling.

Can you imagine?
Some can only imagine,
what is another’s reality;
A reality of life torn to shreds
trampled underfoot and
devastated by war and threats.

I can only imagine.

©Deborah E. Nyamekye 24/08/2016