Goats and a Dentist
A study in contrasts
not of absolutes
not of right and wrong
not of chosen and accidental
not even, easily, of planting and ripping up
Obviously I'm thinking through this
as I write, haphazardly
I could go on about plants
gathered from a friend
collected on a walk
from the piazza green market
and the acres of Mondo Verde
all those helpful experts
Plants chosen for hardiness, color
bewitchimg scent and bloom
for history and age
appropriate to the terrain
rapid or slow growth
But not for the most important reason
now obvious
Or the dentist, his gentle hands
positioning my head
just so
for injections, first injections
thank God
Then drilling, cracking
taking out old, ugly, dead tissue
I assume
I kept my eyes closed
The goats come in the night
or maybe just light
removing tender tips
leaves stripped
whole young branches
just strewn
Not even hunger, it appears
wanton
But this, I keep reminding myself
a goat's nature
a goat's night of fun with his or her friends
and family
mostly family, I'd wager
and now
the rubble of the garden
and my mouth
though not the same
both raveged
Time
I'm counting on time
for the dentist
(chosen by the picture of a tooth
a sign
on the road to the Roman mosaics)
to finish
and for the goats to stay away
go home