A Boy

he gets away with everything
dishes left unwashed, spilled milk,
strawberries squished on the linoleum leading
to a trail of red splotches across the living room,
annoying dogs, stains on his sweater.
he just smiles, exposing that gap
between his front teeth where a
piece of Dutch licorice would lodge
itself from time to time as he ran
home from kindergarten to greet
his mother.