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.