Of a classmate:

You walk in with a smile
and leave with one and
when your smile says
'hello" it wakes
up mine and my teeth
feel ashamed and
groggily stand at attention.
I wonder, if you had to
dissect a breaking heart
or a decaying soul
if you would smiles still-
probably
in a mournful way,
you would.
I pray the light that issues
from your lips will
never be doused
by unressurectable
sadness or fear,
for your smile heals me
and artlessly teaches
me to capture each
second as it gasps by
with these saluting teeth,
marching,
crusading for laughter
and joy.

5/6/10