Originally Published in Noir, Tharunka, 2018

My Love,

They’ll say the monsters will protect you.

∞

But these are no ordinary monsters.

I cannot drench them in honey to melt them from your tears

I cannot douse them in light to burn them from your shadows

I cannot drown them in song to strike them from your dreams

These are no ordinary monsters.

And they will not protect you.

They protect the good and punish the vile

Their good is white; our black, hostile

They protect the good and punish the vile

Shot dead, daylight; unjudged, no trial

These are no ordinary monsters.

Bulletproof scales, bulletproof tails,

Bullets, proof, fails to put them in jail.

Protect and serve, defend the innocent,

Protect the murderer, prove him innocent.

These are no ordinary monsters.

∞

You cannot drench them in honey

You cannot douse them in light

You cannot drown them in song

You can only raise your hands and beg for your life

For these are no ordinary monsters