A Silent Battle Cry

A child sleeps in peace tonight, snuggled warmly under layers of blue blankets, smiling serenely as dreams flutter gracefully across his angelic face.
His brows don’t crease with signs of worry or distress. His porcelain face is smoothed over in happy thoughts, friendly thoughts, satisfied thoughts. We all know he is real, yet complete peace seems far-fetched.
Picture of perfect peace plays past the page.

 

A child sleeps in peace tonight.
Shadows serenade across the walls tonight. Battles rage across wallpaper.
Muskets crackling, horses screaming, soldiers chant a death song.
A single ship rocking precariously across a raging sea of darkness, cannons booming, whales moaning, sailors sing a death song.
A storm rumbles, wind howls, fighter jets roar overhead. Lightning cracks through the sky like a slave driver's whip. Missiles whistles through the air as pilots cry a death song.

 

A child sleeps in peace tonight.
Shadows serenade across the walls tonight.
Demons dance down the halls tonight, hissing in a horrible hunger, shying away from the dome of light that scorches their crimson eyes and scars their ebony hides.
Demons desire to dominate the darkness. They lie in wait -- waiting to pounce, to tear flesh from bone and mind from soul.
They despise the light that constantly shines in the darkest room. They loathe the smile that rests upon the child's face. They detest the peace -- the eternal peace -- that protects him.

 

A child sleeps in peace tonight.
Shadows serenade across the walls tonight.
Demons dance down the halls tonight.
A light shines bright tonight. Small yet brilliant, it steadfastly keeps the house in absolute peace of mind. Keeps the monsters in the closet, under the bed, and in sinister pockets of utter darkness.

 

A child sleeps in peace tonight.
Shadows serenade across the walls tonight.
Demons dance down the halls tonight.
A light shines bright tonight.

 

For as long as the light burns bright, we can sleep in peace tonight.

This poem is about: 
Me
My community
Our world
Poetry Terms Demonstrated: 

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