parades and fun times
the carnival of lights
spectacular the festivities
everyone engrossed by the sights and sounds
cheering
clapping
the rowdy crowd
lapping up the atmosphere
a celebration

the day after
spoiled
besmirched in tones of dolefulness
the people
heavy of shoulder
the weight appropriated
in tears manifold
and event can turn
quickly
into sad seas
of sorrow

television stations
radio air waves
transmitted
the horrific news
a terrorist cell had struck
in a city locale
fragments of body parts spread on the sidewalk
smoke and the smell of wickedness
did pervade
the street scape

after yesterday's festival
New York's collective psychology
did alter suddenly
the change did come
in terrors
inglorious
atrocity