Badge of Honor
when they
get home
from work
they close the door
and take their boots off
and put their uniform away
shower and change
and unwind
most days they don’t
take their work home
it’s routine
but there are days
certain days
they do
and they stand in the shower
longer
and close their eyes
and they see it all
and they feel it all
and there’s salt in the water
that falls
TL