i was told not to idolize my favorite practice
of looking in the mirror and baring my teeth
at every disgusting piece of me

i'm not despondent
in this image
but rather fond
of my ability to embrace the monsters
within me
and still find it quite easy to breathe

isn't that a little scary?

There's a poem in there if
   I can strip away the debris
   and polish it like silver
   and read it at a posh affair.
   I'll use a singsong baritone
   to give it gravity. It matters.

they take our orders
  clean our tables after
  fractured smiles always
  with an eye on the clock
  coins left like charity
  count it fingers crossed
  feed the kids or keep
  them warm or buy a pint
  and dime bag to feel a
  little like a big shot.

Careful about who
you reach into

The ones who bite the
hand that feeds them

Mark your red flags,
and ignore them

Watch your back
or you're condemned.