Dentals and Fricatives
she has learned to speak again
or so i was told
lips moving in clouded atrophy
around dentals and fricatives
her heart winding its alarm clock
pausing just half past the hour
to take stock
of the drooling conglomerate
which once housed a reed
joy across octaves
her voice, a magnet
physical therapy at half past
she dreads pitying looks
charted notes
and though she sputters words as directed
she can also chant them
her under-exercised voice clear
on A flat
"F___ you--there's a fricative for you"
Audrey Howitt
© 2016 Audrey Howitt
