Normally getting one's braces off after 13 years of orthodontia would be cause for celebration, but I seem to be thrown for a loop. It's the strangest feeling when I drag my tongue across my teeth and find a slick linoleum strip without metal railings to catch on.

I think it's because I developed the mental pattern in my head of me to have metal bits on her incisors, and now that they're gone I don't look like myself anymore.

Also, the monochrome off-white without the visual break-up of the brackets makes my teeth look huge and horsey.

Also also, I've got a clear plastic retainer over them, so there's no gaps between the teeth while I've got it in.

Also also also, if I feel ugly in the morning, I can't blame the braces. There went another crutch. Sigh. Well, I've still got "I'm fat" and "I'm too damn tall" to lean back on.

Working on a couple poems. If they turn out all right, I'll post them soonish.