whenever i visited my family

in florida

amelia island

i had a habit

that my father taught me

to look on the beach

in early mornings

via sunlight

and late nights

via flashlight

for sharks teeth

we would take

whatever we found

and add it to a jar

that my late grandmother

started

and

one night

on

amelia island

after two sharks teeth

my flashlight saw footprints

heading into the ocean

deep at first

as a i followed

and getting filled in

inches at a time

inches per step

as i approached

the ocean’s sway

i stood

at the bank

with my toes

getting wet every seventeen

seconds

back and forth

back and forth

and i scanned the ocean

nothing

scanned the beach

nothing

maybe they left

maybe

i shouted out

HEY

ARE YOU OUT THERE

DO YOU NEED HELP

no answer

so i sat down

staring out

with my flashlight

back and forth

back and forth

wondering

if someone had the balls

to do

what i haven’t yet