Erasmus smiled at me
teeth gleaming
peppered brow salted with time
left here as my guard
little man with a gleaming set
so I met his glance
I kinded him
fed him
and Erasmus lay down beside his captive
and slept
his gleaming teeth slept too
eyes closed
warming my chest
head on my neck
"he's gonna bite you too," she said
"no he isn't"
Erasmus slept.