Longing

When dusk ensconces the city
It’s difficult to recognise the landscape;
The cries of laughter have been hushed
The chatter and movement dissipated
Now, only darkness lightens the way forward.
Creatures move in the shadows
With a purpose to hinder or to help. Or both.
All pathways converge towards
The ruined city, with its crumbling walls
And scattered debris. The strains and cracks of the
Shivering stonework
Become only too evident at night.
The unintelligible whispers, those brooding murmurs,
The strange rustlings and benign voices
Emerge in conviction.
Soon, only a thudding heartbeat
And racing pulse
Are protectors against the onslaught.
But the city never falls silent.