Tiger Shark 

Fear streamlined to elegance
   and elegance made mute
within this skin of gunmetal
   and gash mouthed grin. Repute
would have the monster cruel—untrue—
   for mannerly cruelty
demands a heart, unwitnessed
   in its calm machinery.
Credit

Published in Margie. Copyright © 2009 by Hailey Leithauser. Used with permission. All rights reserved.