Gumming my pain with his fingers,
Drilling the whiteness—it hurts,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong,
Dentin is so bright, but it hurts,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong.

That nerve he banged was damn strong: I jumped nearly a mile;
Wish I’d not come to see him; he’s drilling with a smile.
No brushing as a young boy, so now I pay the price.

Stunning the pain—how it lingers,
Drilling, it mightily hurts,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong,
Dentin is so bright, but it hurts,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong.

I felt all flushed with fever; the cracking sounds were loud,
I felt he found my dental damage; “stop!” I wish I’d vowed.
I prayed that he would finish, but he just kept right on:

Numbing my pain. . .wish he did it,
Drilling the whiteness—it hurts,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong,
Dentin is so slight when it hurts,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong.

He sank the drill ceaselessly; my champers need repair.
And then he went right through one, as Larry* did with flair.
But he just kept on drilling; “Is it safe?” he thrummed.

Numbing my pain! There was nix stick:
Epi-caine** ice didn’t spurt,
Drilling the soft teeth hours, six long,
Filling the soft teeth with fix strong,
Then he’ll put the bite on my purse,
Filling his pockets—his fing[er]s long.
Six fig[ure]s gone!.


*Laurence Olivier in “Marathon Man)
**epinephrine-lidocaine