I had a toothless friend,
and if you knew
how I valued a pearly smile
you might understand.
I had a friend, a toothless friend
that sought me out; oblivious
that she was anything less
than a gleaming beauty.
She trusted me entirely,
no yarn strings attached.
I had a friend, a real friend,
a toothless friend,
who chatted me up
with the persistence of a song bird,
with such a profound unrelenting pleading-
I found comfort in her constant reminder
of my abundant worth to her.
Her pleasures were small
her mat of black fluff imperfect,
she’d sprawl- heart to sky- on her back
and offer me her belly to rub
as if it were a favor to me.
I had a toothless friend
who taught me to continue
to love all living things
with a voraciously abundant heart
and unequivical mind
And one day, aptly so
the clouds magically called her away,
and sucked her into their heavenly arms…
leaving only the memory of her toothless smile
and a comfort deep in my gut that I knew-
she was called away
perhaps to again, administer
the ultimate teachings
To impart on someone’s willingness a crucial
life lesson about the power of true beauty.
My hope is that you too have the wherewithal to receive it
even if delivered by a toothless friend.