The Dentist

Soft blue square 
beyond the heavy door, 
my father's back 
Ten paces 
away.
the Dentist 
told me to open my legs. the Dentist 
whose fingers pressed my soft pink gums
probed the ridges of my mouth’s mountains
Mined the farthest canyon,
broke the skin.
I bled.  
Open your legs for me. 
turn around dad. Open the blue window
I want to say I didn’t. That I yelled. 
Slapped him. Rose from the river 
That breaks the soil,
a scarlet poppy. 
But those hands
gripped my thighs, 
mottled blue black eggs on the river bank.
Left ten red crescent moons to wane.