Blessed Are the Teeth

Part 1: On the Blessings of the Teeth

my children
hear me
blessed are the teeth
they bear the bite
even when jaws tremble

blessed are those who chew slowly
tasting life
in every morsel

blessed are the molars
turning gristle
into something soft

blessed are those who floss
sweeping spaces
where decay waits

blessed are those who smile
their teeth
shine into darkness

blessed are the toothless
they know patience
humility
the art of savoring
without biting

blessed are the brushes
they keep mouths
at peace

blessed are the gums
quietly holding all together

blessed are the dentists
mending
what is broken
teaching care
for what is forgotten

---

Part 2: Woe Upon the Teeth

but woe
cursed are the teeth
they bite
without warning
they chew
without mercy

cursed are the molars
grinding endlessly
wearing down all resistance

damn the incisors
sharp
unforgiving

curse those who ignore the floss
decay spreads
while you look away

smile if you dare
your teeth turn
yellow
cruel

brush and brush
plaque rises
like a defiant army

gums
traitorous and weak
bleed under pressure

teeth grind in the dark of night
feasting on enamel
leaving cracks

and dentists
tireless menders
fill the voids
while decay gnaws onward

---

Part 3: The Judgment of Teeth

 

and lo
the teeth rose
gnashing in mouths

the molars ground
crushing all
between them and food

plaque spread
like a plague
coating all lands

gums bled
in silent rebellion

cursed was the tongue
caught
between crushing teeth
and slow ruin

wisdom teeth erupted
unholy
mocking every prayer

toothbrushes and floss lay broken
abandoned

dentists
desperate prophets
cried into the void
but teeth heeded no call

the toothless laughed
empty mouths
hearts wary

in the end
the teeth devoured
all comfort
all sweetness
all peace

leaving only gnashing
the bitter taste
of regret

hear me
children of enamel and bone
blessed are those who feared the teeth
they inherit
the pain of restraint