A Mouthful of Words

       My dentist was unfamiliar with the marvelous poem "Master of Instruments"; I emailed it to him.  From the list of instruments:

    the lovely burnishers to polish the amalgam,
    the double-notched cord packers plying thick tissue,
    flat spatulas for loading plumb
    and tapered flutes to tap the crown down solid
    and lute the inlay tight,
    curved chisels to mold the stubborn cusp ridges,
    gingival wedges and lariats of floss and smooth heron-billed                         pluggers
    and even the humble rubber dam and clamps
    to shield the tongue from the serrated forceps.

Finally:

    With the help of my instruments...
    I insert implants where none but Nature has ratcheted before.
    And I give you your smile and your bite back.

                    David Solway