Black and Pearly White

Taylor Woodworth

When they took my wisdom teeth

they extracted miles of fleshy,

dirt-covered roots.

Roots who latched onto my powers,

carried them to their stainless steel

grave.

The flowers that once paraded

their vibrant reds and yellows,

lay sleepy and wilting,

waiting for the absent sun.

I can no longer see ghosts

and my voice sits dormant,

contemplating why everyone

has stopped listening.

Each day I pull the shortest straw

and each day I’m disappointed.

Candy turns to cabernet.

Wildflowers turn to wallflowers,

and once again

I’m homesick for the blissful

unknowingness of intact wisdom

teeth. I live in a different world now.

A world where the first day of school

is no longer life or death,

but a lonely, moonlit walk is.

One where the tooth fairy

leaves a different kind of bill

under my pillow,

and all my teeth are just teeth.

Taylor Woodworth (Writer)

My name is Taylor, I’m 17 and this spring term is my third term at pcc. I graduated from Cleveland high school in 2021 as a junior. I’ve lived in Portland my whole life, but hope to venture elsewhere in the coming years. I wrote these poems last fall for a poetry class. I find myself having so much to say but not knowing how to say it, so I like to build pictures with words to organize my thoughts. That is the best way I can think to describe my work. In my free time I enjoy playing and listening to music, and casual ghost hunting.

Morgan Belden (Artist)

I'm currently a Sophomore at Portland Community College completing an associates of arts degree. I am an aspiring writer, a collector, and a lover of art. I am also a cat mom of two lovely mixed Siamese sisters.