This time a loan assassin
drove madly at the crowd
his car upon the pavement
a bloody furrow ploughed.
With knife in hand he’s running
towards the guarding man
who bravely did his duty
no weapon but his hand.
The shots run out so quickly
catching everyone unawares
the stumbling and the panic
the closing of the stairs.
Westminster is in lock down
tourists trapped aboard the Eye
the scurrying for cover
no time to say goodbye.
A woman in the river
French students in the road
the suspect car abandoned
This terror episode
has London in all its glory
ground to a sudden halt
yellow jacket SWATs and paramedics
blood on the asphalt.
Apathy’s rude awakening
the writing’s on the wall
It doesn’t happen just in France
for us all a wakeup call.
Amidst the heightened heartbeats
a reassuring sound was heard
a teacher’s calm instructions
her young charges voices stirred.
That choir of children’s’ voices
in the corridors of power
proved no act of shameful terror
could our bright future sour.
Democracy’s been threatened
but continues to stand tall
The unarmed and disarming
defiant through it all.
© Sheila Ash 23 March 2017