In response to his question, as he tried to put me at ease before drilling a back tooth for a new crown, I told the dentist I had written a poem about dental floss the night before. He asked me to bring it to my follow-up, which was today. First, he tried reading it aloud himself but seemed to be new to free verse poetry, and confused by the first line break, so I read it. You know how it feels when people really listen to you, how their silence and focus fill the room and the atmosphere changes? That happened. Big smiles from him and the dental assistant after. They loved it! To read poetry aloud while in the examination chair felt both wonderful and strange. I left the office thinking about poetry, how it can create a spell, spread its magic anywhere unexpectedly. Words, voice, breath have power.
My Tiny Career
