Safeguarding

The men
With the pistols
Turned their attention
To the man
Holding a machete.
He smiled a toothy grin
And they all chuckled
At something unsaid.
To anyone else,
It would have been
A terrifying moment,
But they were all
Comfortable with death.
For all of their sin
And addiction,
They knew
They could control
Their behavior.
They knew when
And where
To unleash
Their violence,
And they knew
How to protect
Themselves.