When All My Teeth Fall Out

When All My Teeth Fall Out

I’ll smile with my gums and pretend it’s fine,

Whistle through air that used to bite,

Soup for dinner, soup for lunch,

And pudding dreams through every night.

They’ll sit in a glass beside my bed,

Like ghosts of things that used to shine,

Each one a story worn with time,

Each one a relic once called mine.

I’ll learn to speak without a hiss,

To laugh with lips that barely part,

It’s funny how a missing grin,

Can somehow soften all the heart.

I’ll still recall the apples’ crunch,

The crisp delight of autumn days,

And though I slurp and spill my tea,

I’ll find new charm in altered ways.

For even toothless I’ll still smile,

My laughter rich, though slightly strange,

Age will not dull what’s left inside,

Just change the notes, not rearrange.