After a long journey
the little ones kick off their shoes
and prance back and forth through the metal detector
while the older ones balancingly brace themselves
to remove cowboy boot and sensible pumps
with the turn of keys as big as pistols
escorted coldly through heavily guarded steel doors
they wait expectantly in a cavern of work Formica tables,
scratched plastic chairs, sticky snack machines, and
snoopy security camera lenses
as I emerge from the strip search area
adjusting my ill-fitting prison khaki scrubs
our eyes meet our hearts leap
our reunited spirits brighten the dingy
flourescent-lighted barrier with 200 watt Joy
disembodied phone voices and inked missives are not enough
we must inspect each other face to face eye to eye
I am their wailing wall
they must touch me
we celebrate communion
the body and the blood
with stale chips and Coca Cola
salty tears and laughter
God smiles when we make do
holding high the flames of unextinguishable
Faith
Devotion
Hope
and the greatest of these Love
Patricia Prewitt
November 4, 2008
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