SHOCK AND AWE

i wake up to shock and awe
blinding flashes of purple flame light up the darkness
deafening explosions perforate the ear drum
women and children cower in bunkers
flag-waving families laugh and cheer
tearful grandmothers leave their villages
on the backs of trucks
for the first time
for the last time?
ecstatic couples embrace
hearts bursting with pride
a battallion of stiff-faced young men marches through town
a thousand choreographed dancers twirl in unison
a column of tanks winds its way along a dirt track
a fleet of limousines whisks its luminaries into the stadium
the torch is lit
the touchpaper is ignited
the games begin
the battle commences
they gun for glory
they shun defeat
there will be joy and heartbreak
victor and vanquished
the superpower asserts its status
defiant
as the eyes of the world look on