Disturbance of the Fabric of Life

All woven together, the events and habits
In my daily routine, regular, sometimes boring
But all mine, mine throughout my life
Rigid and firm against interference
All the rules and formulae holding true
Where two plus two is four, facts of life
Something to be counted on
Something steady to believe in

--

But then, the unexpected
Hurled in from left field
The hand grenade, the bomb,
Breaking the glass, destroying all
Everything I thought I knew
Burns up in an instant
Collapsing upon itself
The bedrock of life is shattered.

--

I stand flat-footed, back against the wall
Peering outward through the smoke and the flames
In a state of shell-shocked wonder
Laced with uncontrollable fear
What do I do? Should I try to escape?
Which would be worse, to stay or to flee?
So unfair of life to make me choose
When neither path is clear.

--

Tragedy tears through everything we knew
From a calm rest to a tear-filled shriek
In an instant…facing death…horror-filled
No way to be uplifted
The fabric of life is ripped forever
No way to restore, no needle can repair
Only time…if really a healer
Could make things whole again.