Hang them all from the lamp-posts.

Yesterday I cut someone out
of my life
I didn't mind the difference of opinions
but the cold joy they took
in anticipating bloodshed
the glee in imagining
fathers, mothers, daughters, sons
swinging in the wind from
hurried gallows
broke my heart.

Because I lost most of my family
to people who thought
they could label people
and then slaughter them.

That started with callous jokes
and ended with me having
no family,
no history
and a father who
went quiet
at strange moments
with a look in his eyes
that I could never
soothe away
however hard I tried to make him laugh.