For a few moments there's no one there -
just me, the chair and the spotlight
which I pray the tooth would only notice
and effortlessly leap out of its socket
to dance on the stage of my bottom lip.
And then the shadows
of the Dentist and his beautiful assistant
who, for the benefit of the ceiling,
are using their fingertips.
If only their magic trick were one
in which speed were of the essence,
like yanking the tablecloth
from beneath a vase of flowers.
'Now, this won't hurt' announces the dentist
and proceeds to pull a skeleton
from out of my mouth.