walking with the minority

missing instant hot water and earl gray in the mornings
but not the nasty commute and forced plans
here on this tropical island, machine guns rage against the minority
bugged apartments lift paranoid aid workers to a new sort of desperation
poverty lurks around dark corners of polluted streets and dusty hotels
empty now that the tourists have gone
tuk tuk drivers ponder their return
and so do electronics shopkeeps
down in bambalapitya
as they break fast and welcome me in their store
so surprised to hear i'm a tourist
it's strange to be a white face that stands out
after spending my youth in homogeneous portland
yet so familiar
to be walking with the minority