Stranger at the door.

Late in the afternoon when the sun was mellowing a bit,
The noises in the street seemed to have muted down to a still
A time of the day when after a heavy meal
Both man and beast seemed to be in a state of snooze,
There came a knock at her door,
The swirling dust rising out in the street
Seemed to rush inside as she opened it.
And then somehow it stopped when,
The dark shadow of the stranger blocked the view outside.
Dry and parched a hoarse voice asked if she would give the thirsty a drink,
For a moment she did hesitate, as it was a stranger she faced
But since a kind soul was she,
Went to fetch something to drink and to eat as well.
Later, as darkness gathered outside,
The streets were crowded and the noise rose high,
Lights came on in every corner of the town,
But her window was in dark, curtains bellowing in and out.
Not a sound, not a movement, just a chilling stillness inside.
What met the eyes, was a lonely figure
Lying on the floor, in a pool of blood.
Her kindness was in vain, humanity was stricken again,
The stranger had quenched his thirst from the well of life.