Screams and smoke

Smoke and screams
spill over the wall
it can keep me
and everyone else
out and away
but the smoke and screams
escape

i'm lost in the smoke
it must be worse over there
the screams hurt to listen to
i can't imagine what its like to feel the pain behind them
too
this is bad enough
over here
and safe
safe from the fire and the pain and the heat

i want to help
water being shot over the wall only makes steam
soothing words are screamed over
the wall blocks anything else i might think of
i stand here alone
coughing, confused