FOUR A.M.

4 AM is the hour that I leave my lover
asleep on her bed
silent and peaceful
quiet and calm

outside,

rocks are thrown by the kanto boys in a territorial dispute

a Mandaluyong market teems with life and fresh meat lugged on the sweaty backs of overweight men

a single woman sits forlornly in front of a darkened stone church--waiting for something I can only guess at

while a well-dressed 20-something enters his car, his lover waits for the departure at the secretly opened gate

a jogger runs past

a truck cuts us off

and the taxicab driver insists on lecturing me on the fastest way home.

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