poem

 Teeth: A Short StoryThey aren ’t as hard as you thinkEven diamonds can crackI knocked out the one in frontWhen I was just ten,An incident involving a Huffy bikeAnd an ad hoc ramp madeFrom bricks and a sliver of plywood/sheet metal We didn ’t have enough to get it fixedBack then. I wore a “flipper” for years Which was a pink palate moldMelded with a fake in frontIt was a dicey contraption.I had to take it out when I ate.A couple times at school I had to fish it out Of the dumpster behind the cafeteria,My friend Eric holding me by the ankles.I wore braces for 8 years because We ran out of money or somethingAnd the orthodontist never took them offBut I didn ’t mind because the metal wiresHeld the fake in placeLike a wig that obviously wasn ’t hairBut at least hid the baldness.People get you slotted The minute you forget yourselfAnd let slip a smile.So I re-learned howBy watching myself in a mirror.What to do with my lipsHow to angle my headAnd crink my neck to the right.More of the pained rictal grin ofPrimitively carved jack o ’lanterns.Man, it ’s a deep cut to realize thatEven joy can be a betrayalAll ’s well that ends well, though.I studied hard and hit the books,Eventually earned enough to Buy a tooth of my own.ApplauseApplauseBut it ’s too late.I smile just the same,Crooked and awkward,Despite the implantAnd I come at apples from the sideWith skyving flanking attacks.Once you think you know who you areIt ’s too hard ...

Source: Buckeye Surgeon - October 28, 2021 Category: Surgery Authors: Jeffrey Parks MD FACS Source Type: blogs