Everyone hears the wail

of Siren calls,

fewer hear the Jericho Trumpets.

The lucky ones

see a flash of brilliant light,

thunder shakes the nation

announcing War and Death.

The Four Horsemen have arrived

all at once.

We never thought we’d see this day

destruction is assured,

the radio tells us,

there is still hope for salvation.

3 knocks,

signal coming Pestilence.

Put out the fires,

lock your doors

and hunker down

in the basement.

Bags of sand stacked high,

keep out nuclear dust.

Pots and pans,

tins of meat,

cans of beans,

may outlast us.

We await the all clear,

as Famine patrols.

We thought the war would never heat up,

but all it did was boil over,

and we were caught in the crossfire,

someday we’ll pick up the pieces.