mowing the lawn

the woman who lives in the trailer
across from me has two kids
boys, very young
they are too young to be left alone
they are alone
they are watching me mow the lawn
one of them stands no more
than three feet from me
oblivious of the roaring machine
he is fucked up: a cut on his chin
dripping blood onto his little naked pot-belly
with an open (dazed-chimp) mouth adding saliva
he is covered head to toe in dirt
and his diapers are full of shit
his little brother, too young to walk
is eating the dog’s food out of the filthy dog bowl
i go inside my place and shut the door
wondering why people have children if they aren’t
going to take care of them
i peek out the window and see both of them sitting
in the dirt near the dog house
two doomed babies