top of page
Writer's picturetheperiwinklepelic

george washington's tooth - ted millar



In addition to his supposed inability to lie

about chopping down his father's cherry tree,

most have heard about George Washington's

wooden dentures, which were actually made

from hippopotamus tusk designed to fit 


over one remaining tooth after losing the rest

to a penchant for cracking Brazilian nuts 

between his teeth. He probably would have 

been better off yanking it out since the hippos'

rubbing against it led to an opium habit.


Not knowing a Brazilian nut from any other,

I don't understand what about it is so irresistable

to cause a disciplined military strategist to destroy

his jaw until there was nothing left 

but a sole agonizing nub.




Ted Millar’s work has appeared in English Journal, A Sufferer’s Digest, Middle West Press, redrosethorns, Moss Piglet, Isele, 365 Tomorrows, October Hill, Syncopation, 50 Word Stories, Warp 10, Fictional Cafe, Little Somethings Press, Grand Little Things, Words and Whispers, Fleas on the Dog, Better Than Starbucks, Straight Forward Poetry, Reflecting Pool: Poets and the Creative Process (Codhill Press, 2018), Crossways, Caesura, Circle Show, The Broke Bohemian, The Voices Project, Third Wednesday, Tiny Poetry: Macropoetics, Scintilla, Inklette, The Grief Diaries, Cactus Heart, Aji, Wordpool Press, The Artistic Muse, Chronogram, Brickplight and Inkwell. In addition to writing poetry, he serves as the committee chair for the Marlborough, NY Democratic Committee, and administrates the Substack newsletter, The Left Place. He lives in the heart of apple and wine country in New York's Hudson Valley with his wife and two children.

5 views

Recent Posts

See All

Kommentare


bottom of page