my dentist

while she puts
her hand into
my mouth, gently
with her
long gloved
fingers, her
beautiful brown
eyes, still,
and smiling
above the fern
green mask,
placing
a cardboard
structure, not
unlike plywood
between my gums,
for x rays, and
then the sharp
point of a silver
tipped needle slips
with a pinch
into my pink soft
gums, i realize
how much
i love her,
despite the pain.
and it occurs to
me, oh, no. here
we go again.