i. The Crown
it wanted a crown
to cover past in glory
gold to mark the spot
truth dissolved like teeth
smiling gums exhibit A
soaked in acid lies
carving up and down
engraving stenciled fables
grinding nothingness
lonely pride of one
office cannibals sewing
mouths shut shrunken heads
have you worked with it?
kindly pretending hired gum
rather chomp instead
ii. The Rot
self-educated
antipathy to expertise
deforming gossip
messy mane of mange
dirty brown dishonest rot
gaping maw a fright
asks innocently
oral camaraderie
hides the bloody knife
twisted paperclips
pick its decayed snaggled teeth
dreaming putrid schemes
tight lips hide a fright
what they save on you? buys new
enamels shiny
is there a nozzle
a verse to reverse its curse
scrub the plaque away
patience we are taught
answers all the pain with gas
spinning round and round
iii. The Jawbone
watching from afar
baby teeth laughing joyfully
til the music stops
keep them safe from it
balloons full of plastic words
faux teeth nasty bite
its wrinkled tattoo?
crooked dental spikes remind
time extracts them all
alchemy of lies
outfoxed dentists survey says
give them suckers too
scars and age reveal
ink betrays its intention
an upside down crown