For those being killed in the Philippines’ ‘War on Drugs’

 

Let’s call it out

that fluorescently scarlet

elephant in the room

 

Murder

the elected tool

of preference

 

Sweep away those

we don’t understand,

don’t want to deal with

 

Obscene reversal

not caring for the poor,

we cull them

 

Burst that elephantine balloon

blood stains across

our faces, our hands

 

Lament

and come to our senses

 

 

First published in ‘Orbis, Quarterly International Literary Journal’