AT NOON

                     A sunny day
                                       in Mindanao 
                         when he ran from his house
                                out into the street
                            cars hooted people were 
                                          on their way to the market
                       shopowners stared 
                         as he ran and ran

                       a Candidate, of the PEOPLE
                               A lonely man? No – 
                         as he ran, as the seconds raced faster
                           as the killers followed him
                           on a sunny day, in Mindanao

                                        In broad daylight
                                                   the people stared
                                        In the blazing sun
                                                he ran
                                                       he fell
                                       and a dark patch formed
                                           where he lay – 
                                           a Candidate, of the PEOPLE

                                       And a small crowd gathered
                                                   and they whispered
                                            and they stared at him
                                           and an old man said
                                               we must call 
                                                                     the cops
                                                  

                                                                        July 22, 2013