Will I Have to Go Back to the Dentist?
Gabrielle Shields
I used to get the same cavity.
The same cavity on the same
tooth every year.
The compulsion I had for candy
reminds me of the compulsion
I had for you.
At first, the candy was so good and so sweet.
Now I'm sick of it.
My stomach aches.
I want to take it back-
every time I said
“Let’s just take a break.”
Every time it was the same result,
back to you with little to no progress.
More arguments, less love, more insecurities.
More stomach aches, but “It’s worth it.”
The sugar high felt so good…
but I’m glad the headaches brought me back to reality.
Then one day I realized that
there are sweeter things than candy.
There are sweeter things than you.
As I distanced myself from candy it
showed me it’s not so hard after all.
Some days I think about our memories.
Some days I wish I could go back.
The distance we have now is perfectly fine.
Simple “hello”s and “goodbye”s.
But now that there’s no longer a cavity
in my heart, I feel like I can infrequently enjoy your
sweet presence once again.