Lost Boys

We call them lost boys.

We call them lost boys- not because they don't how to use a map,

Or because they're always boys.

We call them lost boys because they are lost on the world and they're view of happiness isn't a Christmas present from mom,

it's a white line made on an oak table in a dimly lit room,

It's the rush you get from red and blue lights tailing you as you drive a car that isn't yours,

We call them lost boys because they have no idea which way to turn,

When you're lost like that, the best thing to do is stay put until you know when help has arrived.

So they keep doing the same thing,

From pulling a trigger that makes them feel good to sniffing their car keys in a fluorescent lit bathroom at the Olive Garden across town,

They usually remove themselves when they see the love that mommy couldn't provide and daddy couldn't own up to; "because no one wants to raise a punk bitch like you",

They stop.

But it's hardest when someone thought they had that love and lost it two feet into the door so when my family puts our hearts on the line and invites them inside~ they keep doing what they're doing,

They keep stealing- this time from us,

More than material things like a couple of bucks,

Things like what that song meant before the bonfire and he decided to dance really stupid with one of those red cups in the air,

Making our bodies quake with a laughter and a love we thought was true,

He was stealing from us that night too.

We call them lost boys because when we tell them to get lost and they grow up to find semi solid feet on the ground-

Because now we're lost.

We call them lost boys because even though they stole and inhaled and snorted and shot up,

We spent night after sweaty night making sure they never did not a single drug,

Because that is love.

And if you can't love someone enough when they're lost in the chasm of faux love,

Then you're probably lost too,

And in the end you're all stealing from yourselves too.

At the end of the day, we love you.

We're strong for you.

We're home.

And we really hope you get lost, boys.