i can't just leave
this in here justin
i might aspirate on it
in my sleep.
she actually uses the word
aspirate.
i look up into the
dead horseshoe
of her mouth
half her teeth
already gone
there it is
towards back
loose
not too loose.
if she goes to the county hospital
across the street
they won't touch the tooth
they'll just shoot her up with morphine
and tell her come back
when the free dental clinic opens
in the morning.
she tries with a rag
it won't budge.
i have gomez
get a shower curtain
in case there's blood
lambert
holds her head
i clean
the needle-nose pliers
with an alcohol wipe.
there is no blood.
comes out easy
like a piece of corn
off the cob.
hathaway
tosses the tooth in the garbage
and goes to bed
gomez puts the shower curtain back up
lambert
cleans the needle-nose pliers
in the kitchen
i wash my hands
in the bathroom
a little calendar
above the mirror says
it's twelve days
until christmas
whatever
that means.
