Community Unrest

by Carl 'Papa' Palmer

Silence shattered 2am

security alarm blasts

a block or a mile away

relentless until it stops

abruptly leaving a void

of non-noise yet not

quiet serenity in the

darkness of my bedroom

did someone return home

not enter the control code

within the time limit push

the wrong button on their

car remote unable to reset

in the dark or a thwarted

burglary prowler frightened

toward my unlocked car

or yet another false alarm

alerting no one not bothering

to turn on yard light see if

danger lurks if someone

needs help roll back to sleep

someone closer can check

since it's happened so many

times no longer believable

like the boy who cried wolf