rinse and spit
get rid of all the impurities
before you even sit in the chair.
open wide
let the metal explore every crevice
poking and prodding
to get a study of the land.
just a pinch of
anaesthesia
with a side of
numbing cream.
the less you feel,
the better you’ll heal.
lie back and relax
the bone is stronger
than they thought.
you feel the pressure,
but never the pain.
twist, crack, congratulations!
the blood erupts like a volcano,
hot and pulsing,
flowing from the gaping wound.
a river of red
for a lifetime of white.
keep the pulled teeth
hidden away,
now a lost relic.
what you don’t see
can never be decayed
or mourned.
over time, the teeth
march into their new places,
perfect and polished.
you can’t even remember
what you’re missing.