Parents could work as backstory.
From long ago Tulsa.
The cousin needs more backstory.
Their desire to know the sea.
More backstory in general.
Backstory and people. Maybe a couple of canines.
Put them up against other people. And canines.
Old people. Young people. Dogs.
Reveal their mirrored teeth.
Bill Traylor, Man with Black Dog (detail)
Teeth cleaning won’t come easily until the pregnancy doctor says it’s a must. All sorts of repellent things can seep into your bloodstream when you don’t weave them out of your gums. During obligatory flossing, you may do squats or hum or yell at your kid to get her pajamas on, you’ve told her five times, ten times, fourteen times you’ve said something and they better listen because they are close to losing privileges. And you despise this term losing privileges because your father used to say the same thing to you, only worse, for things you never did, never wanted to do. One day you were so tired of hearing this that you left the push mower in the middle of the lawn, packed trash bags and slammed the door. You will rinse the floss instead of use another strand to get into your incisors. Dinner’s tomatoes down the drain. A story your ex-lover told you comes to you. One of their students was eating an apple and in the eating of the apple, the chewing part of the apple, her gums started to bleed. Your ex-lover said something to her about the blood staining the flesh of the apple. These teeth, she said, they bleed all the time.
Refuse to say the pledge of allegiance
at your kid's school.
Consider wearing neon flip flops
to enhance the nearing spring.
Examine your bosom in the mirror
while a betta bubbles sideways.
Of course don't wipe up mildew
around faucet handles.
Or blood pooled in toilet water
from last month's menses.
Your polydactyl laps dewed grass
stripping off intestinal debris.
Forget to wear your hand on your heart
unless there are palpitations.
gif by peekasso
