Mama Needs New Ones
Teeth trashed, vacancies galore, by years of
barely-there dental care; many are
little more than amalgam fillings
One side had no molars, no
balance in chewing my food
Migraines and TMJ the result
Still, the news hit me like a brick:
UPPER PLATE. Trash the few
remaining enamel pieces on the
sorry chess board known as
my mouth. Like the man said,
You can’t cheat breath.
In the office, equipment fences
me in, a gravelly voice says,
“Here we go” (WE?!) And me,
stranded in a loop-de-loop of
tentacled dental equipment –
over, around, inside – yikes
Everything was done in a snap
A temporary plate was shoved in
and it’s so thick it makes me
lithp, but I’ll get a final one soon.
Everyone notices I’m smiling once more…
Encore!
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Yes, it’s true. Years of second-hand smoke from playing in jazz clubs apparently didn’t help the enamel on my teeth, either. THANK YOU Philip Morris and co. But at least I can smile as widely as Julia Roberts, and somehow, I had come to miss that smile, as I tried in vain all those months to half-grin to hide the missing teeth.
This used the “baker’s dozen” words at the Sunday Whirl. Hop over and check out some great poetry from all over the world! Also in the sidebars at Imaginary Garden With Real Toads and the Poetry Pantry at Poets United. Peace – and don’t forget to floss, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
Thomas M. Watt
Good to know you’re smiling again.
Victoria C. Slotto
After reading this, I can see how logical the twist on dental care you took. I’m glad you have that smile, Amy.
Sharp Little Pencil
Aw, Victoria, that’s sweet. I don’t often respond to comments – just visit the person’s site, but this was too nice to leave unacknowledged. Now, to your blog!
kellifrog
I don’t envy you that experience! Glad it went well, though.
shanz boilini
I call them “removable teeth” sounds a lot younger than “dentures” which sounds old, and what the hell does that mean anyway? Yeah, no use for floss. Easy to keep them white too, at least for 12 years or so.
Sharp Little Pencil
Funny thing, I was flossing when I popped out one crown, along with some of the tooth. Ironic, no? Thanks for commenting, Shanz! Amy
Audrey Howitt
Smile big my dear!! Good too read you again–but this must have been an adventure!
Sherry Blue Sky
I SO KNOW, Amy! I have a hard time smiling, at least for cameras, because I cant afford dental care. I envy your new smile…maybe one day, kiddo! It will be nice to enjoy smiling again, wont it?
brian miller
its good to be smiling once more…even though i am sure it was little fun…i will be there one day…i have rough teeth bacause my dentist as a child said i had no wisdom teeth…they came in a few years back and crushed molars…
Old Egg
The process is painful but the product is perfect. A new you!
El Guapo
Of course, now that you have shiny new teeth, you cant pretend you’re English anymore. 😉
El Guapo
And if that’s a pic of you,you have a beautiful smile.
Sharp Little Pencil
Ooooh, my Brit friends will have words for you, young man!! No, that’s not my smile, but it’s close enough to mine that I thought, “What the hell?” Thanks, Guap!
Barefoot Baroness
Hi Amy, and hugs to you. I know this awkwardness of what you have been through and are going through.
I am not surprised you & I also have TMJ in common, and the performing in second-hand, smoke filled rooms is also another way in which we have mirrored lives.
My experience of having to have both upper & lower plates because of a TMJ implant disaster in 1986 has actually left me smiling, no pun intended. I was blown away to find I feel much better about my smile now, and about singing. That’s made it worth it all.
I wanted to say too Amy I have not been around much here at WP lately, but I also found that I was not getting notifications of your posts because a setting was wrong in my reader. I changed it and it should be rectified now.
Just wanted you to know cause I like seeing you here in the community. ~ BB
Sharp Little Pencil
Your Highness, I will reply via email. Trust me when I say we are soul sisters. I’m glad that disaster turned out so much better than you imagined! YAY!
Barefoot Baroness
I too am happy our paths crossed Amy, I am convinced they were meant to.
I replied via email too and am even happier we have this format to communicate in.
Take care my friend, I hope to chat with you soon. ~
http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com
I am lost in admiration at your transformation of those motley wordle words! Great that they gave you a temporary denture: faces fall in as soon as teeth are removed, but you will avoid that calamity. My gran lost her teeth in the days before decent dentistry and was made to wait 6 months for her denture. She was unrecognisable thereafter.
Sharp Little Pencil
Same thing for my great aunt, Ruthie. And yes, my gums are contracting, so I’ll get a final plate, which is ultra thin, after that six months are up.
Roger Green
When you’re smilin’, the whole world smiles with you, I’ve heard somewhere. That’s a very great ending to what must have been an annoying start.
Sharp Little Pencil
You said it, brother! Oy, the pain after the removal, too, but there was enough Vicodin in me to quiet a horse, so I “hazed” through the first two days of recovery…
laughwithme45
Keep smiling! Looks great!
jadepagepress
I felt like it was me in that chair. Great images. I especially liked:
stranded in a loop-de-loop of
tentacled dental equipment
Well done (and keep smiling!)
Kerry O'Connor
I’m sure this poem could help others make a similar choice to go through the awful process for the sake of a brighter smile.
ihatepoetry
Beautiful – smile big, my sister!
Helen
When that lithp has vanished, you will be SOOOO happy! My son is halfway through six tooth implants, a long process … worth it, absence of teeth had caused major TMJ.
Sharp Little Pencil
Yup, I know that one. I was without left molars for years and chewed with the right side of my mouth. Now the TMJ has cleared up, I no longer grind my teeth, and my sinuses cleared up as well! I feel for your son…. hope he’s better now!
Rachelle Smith Stokes
I love the checkerboard teeth and line on breath! Also the Lithp! I’m so sorry all those years didn’t do you well from Second Hand of all things! Love has it was all woven together. At least, at the end, you are still smiling. 🙂 I enjoyed this.
Sharp Little Pencil
Even when I was missing my molars, I smiled, but discreetly. Now I flash ’em like Julia Roberts, ha ha ha.
Rachelle Smith Stokes
Fantastic! haha
Stormcat
Oh boy do I ever relate to this one! Glad you’re smiling.
Eileen T O'Neill
Amy,
Good to know that your world is all shiny and renewed. All will be better after this new start..
Eileen
Mary
I so admire your honesty in your poetry, Amy! Glad about the smiles, as I know you have a beautiful one!
chamomile sea
You poor thing. 😦
coalblack
you’re living my future, I fear.
Misky
Smile, girl, smile!
jae rose
Good to have you back..and smiling..it certainly looks worth the pain.. 🙂
grapeling
so do you get to play the big bad wolf now, Ameleh? 🙂
and thanks for stapling me to the wall! that’s very cool… ~ M
Sharp Little Pencil
Not the big bad wolf, M. More like Grandma when I take it out, ha ha.
Yes, you are on my wall of honor. Glad that cheers you. Amy
Sara v
Looking good!! A smile is so worth it–scary stuff, but worth it–welcome back 🙂
purplepeninportland
So if Julia needs a stand-in, you are available? Love this, Amy.
hpliebekraft
My teeth are strong and I’ve got all but the wisdom teeth. They aren’t the prettiest to look at though, so I tend to smile with my lips covering my teeth.
Sharp Little Pencil
That’s the hardest thing, having a smile you don’t like. Sorry, hon. Amy
Sabra Bowers
Powerful poem. Great job! And I’m glad you have your smile back.