collecting shark teeth on the beach at night alone

as i am going to die
there are only mirrors to refract my laughing
lines

about who can say "knows me", or do you miss
the morning before
or waiting for the next sun to rise

i know now too
poetry is not a weapon
no matter how sure you are of your poisonous pen

like i can type a bullet
or ball hate into my fist and pound out why
the loves of my lives have left me behind

or dear lord and savior and Barack Obama
please hear my angry sword
clanking dull against my skulling mind