Bite

We chattered like magpies
over the crushed remains
of reckless squirrels on city pavement

Chittering and chattering
our gleaming white teeth
clenched on witless politicians
ground the bones of small-
minded demigods on town
councils and corporate boards

We denounced, renounced, pronounced,
pontificated, remonstrated, and insinuated

We polished and whitened
our enamel grin into
a gleaming canvas to flaunt
the spatter of blood and sinew

Our feet were the first to go
toes curling, shriveling
bones bent and softened
organs melted into a dew
hands knotted and calcified
eyes clouded and nose sunken

Gone all but the hardened chomp
we masticated and gorged on
ghosts of injury and insult
teeth bared so ravenous they gnaw
the air no one around us can breathe