Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TOM'S TOOTH, by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TOM'S TOOTH, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The word went forth in fairyland
Last Line: And nevermore came back.
Subject(s): Teeth; Toothaches


The word went forth in Fairyland,
(From ugly fays, in sooth!)
"Young Tom's had too much candy;
He needs an aching tooth!"

So Fever hurried from the south,
And from the west came Grumps,
And from the east came Puffy Face,
And from the north came Thumps.

They quickly spied a hollow tooth
(Where Tom had failed to brush);
They clapped their little, impish hands,
And made a silent rush.

They thumped the tooth, they banged the tooth,
The mocking, cruel crew;
They rasped the nerve, they ground the nerve,
They pierced it through and through.

From nine o'clock till twelve o'clock
They racked the groaning child,
Till Tom was "almost crazy,"
His mother, "fairly wild."

At length between his moans and cries
Young Tom was heard to say,
"I'll give my teeth less candy,
And brush them twice a day."

Bang, bang! The impish fairy four
Each dealt a parting thwack,
Then off they flew, east, west, north, south,
And nevermore came back.





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