About the Teeth of Sharks

About the Teeth of Sharks

BY JOHN CIARDI
The thing about a shark is—teeth,
One row above, one row beneath.
Now take a close look. Do you find
It has another row behind?
Still closer—here, I’ll hold your hat:
Has it a third row behind that?
Now look in and…Look out! Oh my,
I’ll never know now! Well, goodbye.
John Ciardi, “About the Teeth of Sharks” from You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1962). Copyright © 1962 by John Ciardi. Used by permission of the Ciardi Family Publishing Trust.
Source: You Read to Me I’ll Read to You (J. B. Lippincott, 1962)