I watched a boy 
tear into the drive
across the road 
blaring Motley Crue’s
Kickstart My Heart
years
older than him 
in a faded
blue four door
with a green and yellow
mower
hanging out the trunk

there was no preparation 
or walking of the yard 
to find things that would
dull the blade
just a 
I don’t give a fuck
yank start
with a crooked plow
through already too tall grass

my daughter squinted
out from under our porch 
among the tended celosia
made a comment on his skill

there was once a time
when my cousin came
in from Florida for the summer
he helped us mow 
with my grandfather watching
showing him exactly 
what to do
did this kid
across the way
have someone
like we did

I wondered
what was eating him up
and
that if he kept going
like he was
neither he or the mower
would last long