As I swallow the second to the last morsel of eba* 

I almost choke it up

When I heard the news reporter

Give a detailed report of the impending chaos

I got up hurriedly

Rushed to meet my family

Packed our precious belongings

And rushed to the basement

Day after day, week after week

The racketing of bombs above our heads

The anguished cry of the captives never dies down.

In my sleep

I shed unshed tears

I pray unprayed prayers

Hoping against hope.

Taking stock of the situation

Outside my comfort zone

My horrible dream comes true

Tears find their way out of my eye sockets

Dismembered arms, amputated limbs

Gorged eyes, flayed faces

Some recognizable, some not.

My stomach retched at the sight

I walked in a dazed stupor

Drunken in anguish, reeling from shock

Weary from psychological stress

Stumbling, stumbling across my fallen brothers

What hope is there for me?

And my ever distraught family

I sighed and gnashed my teeth

As I remembered my last morsel of eba*

That meal is better off than me

Sitting coolly in one place

Not caring anything about the affairs of this world

So my thoughts ran paranoid.

Alas! out of the thick black darkness

A bright light knifed through

Shining, cutting through the darkness

Bringing with it love, joy and peace

Peace, Oh peace like a river

Giving me peace in times of  war

Like cold water on my sun-fried back

Cooling my very innards

With the Prince of Peace riding in glory

Accompanied by the shout of angels

Saying “Peace, on earth”

Then ceased the wind

And there was a great calm

Giving me hope again.