babyteeth winter '23 issue 4

Cat Haikus by Ben Ellis

Cat with pinkish eyes

Likely doesn’t have disease— We shall wait and see.

Love the cat, say I

No one wants him more than you In your private life.

Lovely, lovely Toff

Shields his eyes so you can’t see Where his gaze might fall.

Look back at the cat. Meet his eyes, then look away Throw him once a wink.

Toff will watch you love Never taking part in it

Always looking on.

Shiny, crispy cat.

Partners best are made of brass Such as this one here.

Write the cat a card

Tell him all your loving thoughts Put it in his mouth.

Share with Toff a treat

Rub your organs on his face

Taste him once yourself.

I should see a shrink. This is not a healthy way To air out my thoughts.

SHAC has some, I think— Maybe they prefer the term “School psychologist”?

I don’t think they care Prob’ly don’t read Babyteeth Thus won’t hear my words.

Back to you again. What incites your love For this bronzen cat?

Maybe it’s his smile

Chilling, brooding, stoic’lly Masking his intent.

Nonetheless this cat

Being in my dreams all year Permeates my mind.

Difficult I find Studying with Toff around Oft distracting me.

Take me to the dance

Rearrange these feelings mine Spin me ‘round the floor

Toff, you sexy beast

Why won’t you acknowledge me?

Why not hear my calls?

Love’s a funny thing.

Toff, though, has it figured out He knows all the tricks.

Toff might not be tall

I don’t know his penis size

But those ears are firm.

Finally, dear Toff, Please don’t make me beg unheard. Leap off of your perch.

Gimme Gimme!

By Stewie Goon

I’m a beggar--slosh hits ears, my tongue gets wetter. Open top, metal rim, I want whatever’s in ‘er.

I’m obsessive---

I’d kill you, and I’d kill your mother, for a solitary sip from that cylindral udder. Man down---

I’m up, I hold my blodied prize. It’s a half full flask of ichor, for this thirstiest guy.

I’m going---

I’m gone, God gave this glacial high. Think through taking tastes round my throat when it’s dry.

Birthday boy - Stewie Goon

Snail - Nelson Serrano

katierose kimball

A FRUIT

FLY IN MY ROOM

by Lily Akre

I watched u die on my phone screen

Ur tiny legs struggled to accept the fate of my thumb

On ur little life, lit up by the bright I took ur wings

And buried u beneath my bed

It didn’t feel quite right

To kill u like that.

stars. we are far from the city the horizon a light blue “flowing into the abyss” i say, but the source is the abyss and the light is leaving it

hands. we are far from each other though appearance suggests otherwise is it natural to dilute this much of ourselves? the notion of waking tomorrow a street lamp tiny, insignificant, but diluting all the same

a gash is cut into the forest for convenience our convenience so why not gore even deeper lacerate the earth with our feet — not in sync; our hands locked together in declaration of something pure? significant?

how many stars can i not see?

i wonder as i look into the void we are not so far from the city our hands never slip from each other’s our declaration must be screaming amidst all this noise

there is a red blinking light so far, we ignore it this world is so beautiful pure? significant?

i know you see me as what you think i am but your body is so warm the blue light has drained we are stars

when i can’t feel your heart beating i am scared; are we still alive? hands clasped so tightly we must be making pearls

thump-thump thump-th-thump

i feel all that we are. hands

heartsbeating by Isaac Endo

katierose kimball

alexcu1280@gmail.com

Dear Alex

Dear Alex, I’m know I haven’t replied to you in almost four months but I swear, it’s only because I’ve been waiting for the right moment and it never comes. You’re wanting the birds to sing for me instead of for themselves. Because you’re from Maine maybe you know this feeling already: I’ve been washing my feet into the ocean but always returning wet up to my knees; it’s a stupid paradox and a silly accident I keep repeating (beware, dog does bite; dog being blue and foamymouthed this time). I wonder if I couldn’t swim, I’d keep walking and let the water swallow me whole, and sometimes, I think I’d become it: loud and bitter and cold.

Here’s a list of things to do instead of becoming infinite:

- shower with your clothes on

- hold an ice cube

- study birds

- write a poem

Maybe it’s all one loud scream, a thousand miles away, compressed into a page. Or maybe I’ll never speak to you again so I’ll send you a message in a bottle and wait for the Pacific currents to go the other direction. You signed your letters love but,

My apologies, Noel

dispatches from Londontown

kinsella,

ethan

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

My fair lady Build it up with iron bars

London Bridge is falling down

Iron bars, iron bars Build it up with iron bars

My fair lady Iron bars will bend and break Bend and break, bend and break Iron bars will bend and break My fair lady Build it up with gold and silver Gold and silver, gold and silver Build it up with gold and silver My fair lady Gold and silver we’ve not got We’ve not got, we’ve not got Gold and silver we’ve not got My fair lady London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady Build it up with iron bars Iron bars, iron bars Build it up with iron bars

My fair lady Iron bars will bend and break Bend and break, bend and break Iron bars will bend and break My fair lady Build it up with gold and silver Gold and silver, gold and silver Build it up with gold and silver My fair lady Gold and silver we’ve not got

We’ve not got, we’ve not got Gold and silver we’ve not got My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady Build it up with iron bars Iron bars, iron bars Build it up with iron bars

My fair lady Iron bars will bend and break Bend and break, bend and break Iron bars will bend and break My fair lady Build it up with gold and silver Gold and silver, gold and silver Build it up with gold and silver My fair lady Gold and silver we’ve not got

We’ve not got, we’ve not got Gold and silver we’ve not got My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady Build it up with iron bars Iron bars, iron bars Build it up with iron bars

My fair lady Iron bars will bend and break Bend and break, bend and break Iron bars will bend and break My fair lady Build it up with gold and silver Gold and silver, gold and silver Build it up with gold and silver

My fair lady Gold and silver we’ve not got We’ve not got, we’ve not got Gold and silver we’ve not got My fair lady London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down

London Bridge is falling down My fair lady Build it up with iron bars Iron bars, iron bars Build it up with iron bars

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down

My fair lady Iron bars will bend and break Bend and break, bend and break Iron bars will bend and break My fair lady Build it up with gold and silver Gold and silver, gold and silver Build it up with gold and silver My fair lady Gold and silver we’ve not got We’ve not got, we’ve not got Gold and silver we’ve not got My fair lady London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down My fair lady London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down

My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down

My fair lady Build it up with iron bars Iron bars, iron bars Build it up with iron bars

My fair lady Iron bars will bend and break Bend and break, bend and break Iron bars will bend and break My fair lady Build it up with gold and silver Gold and silver, gold and silver Build it up with gold and silver My fair lady Gold and silver we’ve not got We’ve not got, we’ve not got Gold and silver we’ve not got My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down My fair lady

London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down

My fair lady London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down My fair lady Build it up with iron bars Iron bars, iron bars Build it up

sleep talking, saying CRASH & BOOM & FUCK! I shake like a dog.

I string myself along. I sit in the corner of the shower & writhe. & when the water runs purple down the drain, it’s true: I infect. And if the snow of lying face-up in the middle of the street fills my mouth & chokes me. I am tired of fighting this war. I am weary. I want nothing.

I want a non-existence. If you cut me open, I want my brain to be filled with mosquitos in scarves and hats, & for my veins to run with shower-water, & for my meat to be snow.

I want to melt & sink into the earth, & poison the wellwater.

poem olivia ho

photo julianna baldo