Dehabilitation

He's twenty-five and standing on
not much of a foundation
comes in for help - unspecified
because he's not used to asking for it
he doesn't know the language

The problem is no job, no income, lives with an aunt
a four hour walk from his girlfriend and their one year old son
no car, no driver's license, no health insurance
not much of an education, no visible prospects.

I need some guidance, he said.

Our solution  - sell him on the idea of
a voluntary admission to a psychiatric hospital,
witness the genesis of a mental illness
he never had until he came and stood before us.

And then we go home
feeling like we've helped
I guess