It would appear

your fresh peppermint smiles

and perfect teeth

have never tasted

rotten luck.

 

Those neatly manicured nails

false—

as the perfect life

you imagine

my ink-weary fingertips

must crave.

 

Your positive affirmations

may uplift idle eyelids but

they bypass people like me

as we go deep down behind the fingernails

dig out the dirt and eat it for breakfast.

 

Chase it down

with the tears of angels

cough up and spit out the day

before it has even begun

and what can I say in my defence?

 

—You’re my inspiration.