The dark continent

Millions of diamonds and the clipper ships out on the water tonight. All of the dreams of a nation, or at least a nation of two, hanging in the balance belief gun blasts and random expletives in foreign languages. Appeals to heaven fall on deaf ears. God has not been here for too long. Yet we still pray, and pray, and ask him to deliver us from this. In the morning the sun rises high and the men on the TV promise something better as they tell of something worse. Children with guns, our innocents, take aim at our hearts and lives. It all was not supposed to be this way. It was all supposed to be a field day. It was supposed to be kids playing soccer. Poor kids, but playful. The ingrown toenail feels as if it fills my boot tonight. I want more than this continent can offer, and it can offer more than my home. I felt love once, but I gave it up for passion. The heat rises. The desert swells. It is the dry season and I will only think of you on occasion as I try to sleep alone.