The fireworks did not agree with her
due to prior history.

I told her there was nothing to worry about
and she looked at me
like I was stupid
which, in the moment,
was very likely the case.

“They’re like bombs,”
she explained, “which”
and she said this very slowly
as if I might not quite comprehend the concept,
“are scary.”

I nodded.
I’d never lived in a war zone.

I wanted to remind her
she was safe as houses
in my country,
my city.
I wanted her to know
that I would protect her
from anything
that might come our way

but she knew better.

The chaos she had known
showed her full well
there was nothing
some little boy could do
to save her
from destiny.

No damage came to either of us
under the explosions
but we together
barely survived a night.