petty larceny

knocked over a convenience store
on the way home from work

I felt a little bad about it
as it tipped over and fell into the big
puddle of mud and litter
created by heavy rains and
little boys on huffys.

I noticed the locks on the doors
and the sign
require shirts
and shoes
and wondered if it was a religious statement
as I looked for a sari
and thongs

I looked at the reflections
in the broken glass and missed
the red dot on my forehead
and the black tattoos on my arms
and the holes in my hands and feet.

where the dairy fell from the glass case
a large white creamy puddle seeped
across the floor to where the hotdogs
were strewn
and reminded me of all the children
I will never have

Today302222s newspaper was caught in a breeze
and carried up the street
towards my home

I followed it
until I could make out the picture
of the little boy shot for the sins of his brother

then I forgot about the mess
I left when I knocked over the store.