Paranoia pondered the cruelty of war
Stalked by haunting visages of bullets flying past
Clutched at the last stray memories of the happiest times
When saint and sinner walked side by side
Paranoia pleaded with the skeletons of wartime
Sensitive to the tyranny in the streets
To trade pain for peace
And trials for trust
But the speech went unheeded
Breath gone to waste
The carnivorous dogs of war feasted on hate and fear and lies
They're in the cities and the countryside, wreaking havoc  
A threat of human design we dare not confront
We riot in the streets over small things
And are too ashamed to speak for the victims of our own making

h.f.m.