late, on the way home <br />I saw the engines <br />the rescues and police <br />and wondered why <br /> <br />the Station Nightclub last night <br />a rock concert <br />with pyrotechnics naturally <br />all caught on video <br />as the walls and ceilings flamed <br />and an orderly exit <br />becomes desperate under the unreal advance of the flames <br />suddenly a panicked crush to escape <br />the darkening interior of hell <br />the heat and toxic smoke <br />I can't imagine <br />the helpless entrapment amongst tightly-packed bodies <br />immobile and hurt <br />feeling the flames coming closer <br />like a hungry demonic beast <br />dripping saliva of burning plastic <br />coming to devour its prey <br />screams of those being taken <br />hoping to be unconscious <br />to block out this nightmare <br />and when it came for me <br />to already be in a cool place <br /> <br />(Written Feb 21,2003 the day after the Station Nightclub Fire in Rhode Island which killed 100 people. Submitted Feb.20,2006 <br />http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Station_nightclub_fire for more info) <br /> <br />May we remember them always.<br /><br />Chuck Audette<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-station-fire/
