I hadn’t realized before
about your teeth.
I guess I hadn’t checked them
so closely before,
noticed their imperfections,
seen the work that was needed
– and why would I?
What situation
would have allowed me to separate your lips
and poke around in there,
some judge assessing potential prize pigs?

But now fate
or time or opportunity
had allowed me a glance at those pearly yellows
and I am
surprised
in a pleasant way
how far inferior they are
to the rest of you.

I suppose I hadn’t realized
that your teeth were quite that messed up before.
I mean, you’re still a vision,
even when you smile,
but when you’re talking
or enthusiastic you seem somehow
now more human
and I find it
even more special
that you have this thing
approaching a flaw
and I can see you
as one who lights down here
closer to the rest of us.

It is great to find
that you gnaw on some of the same lowly issues
as the rest of us.
Something to consider:
food for thought.