Know When

It's time to leave 

When the leader of the country walks up the stage 

and a wall of national flags covers the background

If a people willingly squander their democratic vote

for subsidised flour, sugar and oil and child benefits

It's time to leave

When a democratically elected parliament's ignored

and accepts that the majority's wishes do not lead to 

change of law and attitude of the ruling coalition and

most journalistic research is met with blackened lines

It's time to leave

When your neighbour's house is raided by secret police

because she posted on Instagram she believes in peace

and could not endorse her autocratic president's murders

and rape of innocent citizens in a land that she holds dear 

 

It's time to leave

When your daughter's slain because of her hair and free will

that bearded men in uniforms following sermons from pulpits

out of hate and spite and fear as in fright of honest life teach

you no difference between one orthodox faith or just another

It's time to leave

When an entire world is focused on pleasure and ravishment

for themselves and kin at the expense of others not fortunate

and leisure and flying turns more important than wildlife dying

and earth literally shakes in terror of those that live to destroy

It's time to leave

© 2023-02-23