fearing for their lives
fearing for their death
abandoning all their yesterdays
the old, the young, the frail
the widowed, the wounded
the mothers with children
ashen faces that have seen
lives ripped to pieces
clasping carrier bags of survival hope
clutching loved pets
and broken hearts
slowly walking the long walk of hope
through winters driven snow
to escape a murdering
army of invasion who
destroy all in their way
all are reduced to
the basic instinct of survival
to run from the beast
without food and water
refugees of hope
that tomorrow they may survive
and live for another future
artillery thunder punctuates
the cruel winter air
as prayers are cast into the wind
fearing for those left behind
lips quivver with a remembered \'goodbye\'
ahead are days and nights of unknown
all around is chance of evil
a child is sobbing
innocence