day ONE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED and NINETY ONE

I Fall Asleep to Sirens

I fall asleep to sirens
the way people in the country fall asleep to wolves
the steady constant wail
not unlike a howl
from deep inside
a call for help
a clarion call
a steady heartbeat
of noise

I fall asleep to sirens
deep within this city
that feels alive
now that no one is alive in it
a city that breathes
a city that waits
on its knees

head thrown back
and from its throat
the goodnight wail of sirens.

I fall asleep to sirens.

--Ally Malinenko