the whistle

the dentist whistles.
perhaps he
thinks it calms
you, telling you that
everything is just
fine, but it's not
a good sign.
it means he's about
to insert
a needle
into your pink
gums,
or turn on
a drill to begin
to mine
a tooth that's
been giving
you trouble.
it's not a song
that he whistles,
no tune
that you know,
it's just a
thoughtless whistle,
like a bird,
like wind perhaps
through
a window
partly rolled.