Carrie Etter
The Bite at the Station
Someone will apologize for the teeth,
someone will confirm and disprove our multiplying suspicions
when she or he demonstrates ownership -
how? With a toothless nod?
In our age of contagion, the janitor neglects
the teeth, stares at the tile when he sweeps by.
Without lips, the teeth do not smile or clench.
They lie - stand - rest on a table
and face us without a face.
Man or woman? Elderly, yes, unless
an accident.... Surely the teeth begin to dry
without their wet cave. Surely they would
suck the moisture from our touch, though how
they could... never mind, they have no mind
or sense. They're plastic, they do not
motion to us. Oh, there's the whistle -
our train nears - we cannot take them
with us, though they long for idleness
without death, not to bite or brace the lips
in a kiss - no, they yearn for the mouth,
to nibble and to be licked
by the tongue in speech. Someone must
arrive or return, someone must apologize
to the teeth.
someone will confirm and disprove our multiplying suspicions
when she or he demonstrates ownership -
how? With a toothless nod?
In our age of contagion, the janitor neglects
the teeth, stares at the tile when he sweeps by.
Without lips, the teeth do not smile or clench.
They lie - stand - rest on a table
and face us without a face.
Man or woman? Elderly, yes, unless
an accident.... Surely the teeth begin to dry
without their wet cave. Surely they would
suck the moisture from our touch, though how
they could... never mind, they have no mind
or sense. They're plastic, they do not
motion to us. Oh, there's the whistle -
our train nears - we cannot take them
with us, though they long for idleness
without death, not to bite or brace the lips
in a kiss - no, they yearn for the mouth,
to nibble and to be licked
by the tongue in speech. Someone must
arrive or return, someone must apologize
to the teeth.
Page(s) 114
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