A predator stalks the city

unseen and unseeable

unheard and unhearable

only making itself felt

through the feverish heat

caused by viral attacks

of chuckling and muttering hyena pundits

and buzzing, circling vulture helicopters

a populace convinced they are next to die

behaving like meerkats popping up and down

imagining blood seeping, leaking, spraying

frantic to understand

yet hiding their heads in the ground

as the predator looms large

given free reign to roam

because rumor is easier than truth

paranoia more comforting than trust

hysteria more interesting than calm

the viral predator

takes more and more victims

and even more refuse to inoculate

against the rising threat

because there cannot be trust

in the lion that governs

and says all is safe

itself sure to chew on your bones

if you let it get close

so rumor, paranoia, hysteria

and the viral predator

FEAR burn through the city