A Day Comes by Jane Hirshfield

A day comes 
when the mouth grows tired 
of saying “I.”

Yet it is occupied 
still by a self which must speak. 
Which still desires, is curious. 
Which believes it has also a right.

What to do?

The tongue consults with the teeth 
it knows will survive 
both mouth and self,

which grin—it is their natural pose— 
and say nothing.

~ from After, Poems (HarperCollins, 2006)