ode to my old job

these boys never look normal.
they look angery
they have become institutionalized even before they walk onto the door
i saw their acceptance letter and it just does not make sense.
it should not be congratulations
rather a welcome to dependence and structured life
something a boy should hope to obtain never needing to
but these boys need it
they need it like a life line
but the more structure that is instilled the less these boys want it
they wriggle
i do not know all of their stories but they all end here
"academy" they call it
these boys need it
for the parents that just could not anymore or the parents that did not anymore
we tell them to turn out their pockets
the metal detector wand waves over their adolescent bodies
they give us their shoes to inspect for contraband and they just throw them to us because it is just another body search like everyday
they get used to mistrust
but you give what you get and they have led a life of mistrust
poor boys i say
at least 2 times every time i am there
and i grimace every time one of them calls me a name
i wish they knew
i wish they knew every time they did something like that the court will hear about it
and we remind them
but they are only boys
and boys only remember for so long.