The Cry of a Child
A little girl runs through the streets
A small bundle clutched to her chest
Houses on fire,
Rubble all around
Everywhere around her a mess
“Mama! Papa!”
Her cry goes unanswered
The thunder crashes in response
Everywhere around her people are frantic
While others weep from their tragic loss
And to those that come close
A simple question she asks
Her voice is full of hope
As she goes about her fruitless task
“Mama! Papa! Have you seen them?”
Some ignore her as they start to run
While others continue to weep
But after time they all get up
To leave behind the castle and its keep
Then the rain begins to fall
The raindrops they hide her tears
While a column of war torn soldiers march by
She cries in sadness and despair
“Mama! Papa! Where are you?”
The soldiers continue their marching
Some look at her with pity in their eyes
She doesn’t care; does not dare
As she searches beneath that dreary sky
The thunder roars across the sky again
A loud wail emanates from the bundle in her arms
As she rocks the bundle back and forth
She yells as if to reach the stars
“MAMA! PAPA! WHERE ARE YOU!?”
A man walks beside the column
His armor completely ruined
A tattered cape flows out behind him
But still his presence is awe-inspiring
He hears the girl’s cry of despair
And watches as she sinks down on her knees
She tries her best to comfort the child
As she softly starts to plead
“mama…papa…where are you…”
The man he stops beside her
And the soldiers all come to a halt
But as he kneels to help her
He signals them to move on
He extends his hand straight out to her
And his voice is soft and low
Telling her it’s no longer safe here
And that they desperately need to go
“mama…papa…”
She raises her head and looks up at him
Her eyes full of sorrow and fright
And her hand reaches out for his
Seeking his comfort and his might
He takes the baby in his right arm
And he extends his left hand to her
Then they begin their long journey
That will change their lives forever
They make their way down ruined streets
Past homes that are now empty
She spots a teddy bear among the ruins
Picks it up and holds it tightly
The man he smiles a sad smile
Knowing her need for comfort and support
He then notices the gate a few feet away
As they abandon the city to the Horde
They finally walk out through the gates
With other survivors all around
Expressions of terror, sadness, and of loss
As they all abandon their home now
But as they leave the fallen city
She takes a look back once again
Hoping to see what is no longer there
A home where her family had lived in
“Mama…Papa… …”
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Over the years, I have tried to dabble in poetry as a way to improve my writing. Trying to come up with words that rhyme is a quite the challenge and this particular poem is one an attempt to be more serious. The poem itself was inspired by an image from the Warcraft II manual of Anduin Lothar leading a small child as the people of Stormwind abandoned the city.
- A poem by Sean D Knight
