on the front porch
the young, deaf woman
waters her potted plants
green... lush
her two bratty children sling mud
at the freshly washed sheets
hanging from the clothesline
in the backyard

at this moment she's quite happy
wetting the stalks, leaves, and flowers
the giggling children
with mudcaked faces
never had a better time
and at times yell
cheerfully ecstatic

the mother's deafness
her safety against knowing this offense is taking place
then their dad looks out the bedroom window
sees their children
and curses aloud their punk disobedience

he storms outside
promises them punishment
if they don't wash the sheets
before their mother discovers their trespass
then he gets in his pick-up truck
and drives off to work
disgustingly waving goodbye
and giving them a scowling look

the woman after finishing her gardening
walks around to the backyard to motion her kids inside
she cant figure out why the sheets she hung
on the line ten minutes ago
are missing now
and the children--
Where were they?

then suddenly two mud-streaked
ghosts in her soiled up sheets
round the corner of the house
crying boo!!
Boo, boo, booo!!!
in joyful unison
and she's glad she cant hear them

not hearing their circular mouths
so gross that they'd conspire
with bad words to do this
to her and her work
At least her plants were happy now
even if she wasn't
and tonight they will be grounded

then she gets an image in her head
of daddy running the kids over
with his truck
compost meat for her plants---
so happy