7.38pm

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toothpaste freshens me up.
it makes me feel better,
the mint washing away -
scrubbing and scraping - 
all the things my mouth has
said and done that day

when i feel trapped, 
i kick off my shoes and socks.
i'd throw them to the wind to
let my feet enjoy the wonders
this earth has to offer.
warm sand and wet mud.

i met a lady who told me that 
when her and her siblings used to
get ill, the first thing her beloved
mother would do, was make them
brush their teeth. she said when
you are ill, brushing your teeth helps.

i was young, 
i used to race around the perimeter of my house -
barefoot. every time i would skin my toes,
or bruise my ankles, my beloved mother
would yell and scream. 

yet every time i brush my teeth,
my gums bleed and ache.




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