Edentate Poems | Examples

Backspace

I already understand that children  
grow inside two blinks,
as quickly as the novel Mayfly
comes to the surface to die. 

I'm pining for those first days again, 
of edentate smiles, milestones  
to fund future independence.  

Pineapple-sized hearts I cradled;
lulled, exchanged dank nappies for dry; 
ferried on uncrossed seas, 
your armada.  

Smoothed rough waters as if by divine speech  
because mothers can. I was thinking that I could always be your oxygen.  
I let you walk through me, under, right over.  

The rocking horse
brought for my bromelain angels 
winged you away - 
this blasted Pegasus ...
I miss you now.
How you rode away, 
ephemera of innocence!

So, what then?
Me, fumbling wild in the backspace you left.
Your flabbergasting key smash to freedom   
broke our finespun home, you left 
me to talk to your father, Child,
to renegotiate  
the bonds;  

reconstruct ancient code, 
deleted excess text - 
obfuscating precision and knowing -  
the tribal tongue of lovers  

unlearned, forgotten;
escaped alongside discarded baby bath suds,
strewn puddles of rubber duckies, 
tired breasts suckled  
by fresh management.