As the city sleeps

Weary footsteps lead me to sleep the sleep of release
I bore witness to the tragedy
War-torn storm surge
Flood waters waves of death
Visions of bodies drifting hysteria
Fills the eyes of these streets
And i fade into slumber.

In the hopes that i forget
A fragment more of memory's ball and chain
Thoughts of, "was i part of the reason we are all in disarray?"
"is there blood on my hands cursed by mistakes?"
After a sleepless night i wander these desperate early morning streets
Street corner poet preaching her figures and features reaching
Raise like a beacon saying, "we're forsaken, but not broken!"
Then i heard her sing:

"mother, your children are dying as the city sleeps!
Mother, your people are starving tonight!"
"mother, your children are dying as the city sleeps!
Mother, your people are drowning in your apathy!"

Despair has a face familiar to the city's pace
You can see it in their eyes
I have come to know the price of neglected hearts
A daily reminder to ponder with every single breath we take
The suffering remains there's people filled with hate
How long must we maintain?! the cities war-torn face
Cradles the wounded, pleading for rescue.

Replace the city streets with blood and debris
Drag the waters for broken homes
Featureless landscapes this is true devastation!
This is true devastation!
And their protest voices raise over explosions, pleading:

"mother, your children are dying as the city sleeps!
Mother, your people are starving tonight!
"mother, your children are dying as the city sleeps!
Mother, your people are drowning in your apathy!"