Smile

Hard now
to flex my cheeks,
show my teeth
and smile.
Don’t have
the big smile
seen at Coney Island.
Cannot afford
this either.
Don’t want to
exercise my face
so much.
Don’t want to
grimace.
Sad also
that I have made
Half a million phone calls
or so
and still
cannot retire
or get a
big place.
Strange political
things afoot in this
strange land
that I cannot
get myself to
smile about.
You are so
angry now,
and so many
changes
and issues
that are
now in the open.
Also need
to think twice
about laughing
now, but
losing freedoms
in this....
Can grin
and smirk
but my face
is too big
to force a
smile.
More
like a
grimace
instead
now.