I am a Guardian ad Litem,

Assigned by juvenile court

To represent a boy

Whose mother

Abandoned him

Aged three

Along with his two sisters

At a motel.

My ward is 13

And imprisoned

In a 4-story

Brick stockade

Two hours

From his home county.

When I visit,

We play in the lobby.

He zooms his Matchbox cars, trucks, vans, backhoes, ambulances

Across the lino toward me,

Sitting on the floor.

One day

A line of girls enters

Through one door,

Walks a few feet,

And goes into another door.

As she brings up the rear,

One girl turns to stare.

The look on her face

haunts me.

She looks

Feral,

Curious,

Aroused,

Defiant,

Hopeless,

Lost,

Betrayed,

Trapped,

Begging,

Jealous.

Is she looking at

“my” kid?

Love

she never had?

Maybe I’m guessing.

Who cares?

No one.