The Burning of Detroit – a Halloween Sonnet

Starting somewhat harmless, some time ago
Soaping, egging, other mischievous pranks
These acts then morphed into a tale of woe
Arson and deeds not deserving of thanks

Each year on the night before Halloween
Arsonists would light up Detroit with fright
Houses and buildings in flames were the scene
This devastation known as Devil’s Night

Eight hundred fires in Nineteen Eighty Four
Hundreds of blazes for thirty odd years
Detroit was in essence a zone of war
Its citizens hid and trembled in fear

You could say things kind of got out of hand
With Angel’s Night, the city took a stand

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Additional information on Devil’s Night in Detroit, and how Angel’s Night came to the rescue.

This was first posted at Experiments in Fiction, where Ingrid is hosting “Halloween Sonnet Sunday!”