always city of light

we passed through the city of light
on our way to a London flight
going to the land of the free
my parents, my brother, and me

nineteen-forty nine was the year
released from the nightmare of fear
the streets of Paris were bright
recovered from the Nazi blight
               
on a recent Friday night                                                                                   
evil minds made Paris the site
of brutal carnage undeserved
of a public cruelly unnerved
   
the world is no longer blind
to killers of radical mind
to those who kill to incite, to
prove to the world they are right

the path of free nations is clear
to refuse to tremble in fear
to refuse to be cowed                     
to stand strong, to stand proud

flowers, candles bright in the night
Paris always city of light

Ellen Lawrence
Long Island, N.Y. U.S.A.
Donated to Secours Populaire Francaise