#180: October 20, 2006

His patients called the dentist Dr. Smiles.
A more sadistic man ne'er ran a drill.
From his office the cries rang out for miles;
his waiting room was full, quiet, and still.

He'd knock out crooked teeth and overbites
with hammers, chisel roots while patients screamed.
Later, mouths full of even, pearly whites,
they claimed it not quite as bad as it seemed.

But for the doctor no excuse would do:
"Of course it's torture without novacaine!
But joys bought cheaply are held loosely too,
and beauty's trash if not purchased with pain."

Those who sat in his chair never returned,
nor had to--their straight smiles had been well earned.