Her habit, during nights deprived of peace,

Of dark skies savaged by the usual crowd,

Was to tell the world in her loudest voice:

‘For God’s sake, listen; this madness must cease!’.

But no one did, although she shouted loud.

Close by, stunned citizens with no choice

Took comfort in the echoes of her scream,

While they browsed damage as though in a dream.

 

Today she was about to yell again,

When, for a change, she modified the tone.

Anger, grief, frustration, coupled with despair:

These raw emotions, they were all still there,

But now rendered in the softest voice of pain,

Close to a whisper, so tenderly blown,

That, for a while, the whole world stopped and heard,

Confounded by each understated word.