Teachings (Of a Sort)
Teachings (Of a Sort)
Your front teeth just to let me know
what was what, that
and a clap on the butt.
The ringing slap
a schooled bell’s blare,
something swearing loud
that I’d not yet learned enough
to do you proud.
I don’t even want to talk
about the shakes, their gripping
lessons, my own teeth then given
a run for the money.
**********************
A very non-Christmasy poem that I assure you is not in the least bit autobiographical. For my own prompt on Real Toads riffing off of two words of a Christmas song (All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth); posted for the Tuesday open link platform.
ps -sorry this is so unseasonal! I hope to come up with something more cheery soon!
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: abuse poem, front teeth poem, gripping lessons, manicddaily, not-autobiographical poem
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ManicDDaily 
December 23, 2015 at 12:40 am
Seems the lessons are taught in a harsh way.. a painful reminder of the reality of too many people.
December 23, 2015 at 1:05 am
Sadly this plays out too often.
December 23, 2015 at 1:09 am
One of the reindeer? Poor critter.
Dixon was my favorite, I remember when Rudolf came along and stole the show.
Fun read, K, if I don’t put my childhood into it. Not good.
But then I haven’t figured it all out yet.
..
December 23, 2015 at 7:37 am
All I can sense here is the delirium of fever or soul-sickness mixing memory and hallucination into an uncomfortable, perhaps even terrifying, sweat of ill-will and twistery. Very surreal, and straight out of a nightmare. Teeth are so very sinister –even alien–when separated from the smile, the body that holds them–I think Berenice is in many ways one of the scarier Poe stories because of that element..or maybe I am way over-reading/misinterpreting this..if so, please forgive..very chilling and effective writing.
December 24, 2015 at 12:06 am
It is very surreal–not quite sure why I wrote it, but woke up to it. k.
December 24, 2015 at 2:43 am
Can be a painful experience with no front teeth. One can be put into lots of testing times being a Santa here!
Hank
December 24, 2015 at 7:35 am
I always like a non-festive poem (unsurprisingly perhaps!). This one has so many shades to it; I love the abrupt opening, straight to the teeth it (pun indeed), but these lines particularly caught me:
“something swearing loud
that I’d not yet learned enough
to do you proud.” – such a gutpunch! great write
December 26, 2015 at 11:07 am
Yikes. Usually I don’t like to read notes like “this isn’t my story” or whatever but I’m glad you included that note here.
Hey Happy Holidays Karin! xoxo