The Marauder Of Teeth Poem by Catherine Habbie

Numb from ear to bone
Seems it's for old sins to atone
Many a chocolate have I chewed
Now it's time my teeth rued
Deeply prodded
Thoroughly cleaned
They only left alone my spleen

My tongue feels like rubber
Now cardboard, now chewed udder
Under the spell of the prion deep
I tried my best to enter deep sleep
But the noise and jet of water spray
The buzz kept me thoroughly awake

They are in your head for God's sake

As I lay atop that swivel chair
The drill buzzing in my head
In all directions stood my frizzy hair
And they plodded in no worries no care
They looked inside with delight
To me it seemed a sorry sight
But they rubbed their hands in glee

She is in for a hefty fee
Lets the implants dig deep
She will forever remember
To her teeth clean keep
The blinding lights left me in a daze
I wasn't sure if I had a face
Twas as if against the clock they had a race

Onward soldiers without a stop
There is a massacre there we are atop
Dead old teeth and cavity
This is a dream for dentistry
A root canal a silver filling
Ooh! I am going to love this billing
Perhaps a denture or two

Hand me needle number 22
Perhaps the longer one would do
Sutures and horse hair are no can do
Just plain plaster and cemented too
An X-ray from which they escape
Leaving me in the chair in an apron draped
Cannot leave until it's all scraped

Italian opera plays behind
A shriek that seems to escape from. my mind
A radio jockey laughs at my pains
What does he know
There is so much to gain
The doctor nods benevolently
My wide eyes gaze back though solemnly

Cause when my dear we are through
You won't be feeling ever so blue
The nitrous oxide with make you smile
When the empty pockets
Make you want to run a mile
The gloves the mask the apron tight
No way I can recognise the opponent in this fight