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Missing a Tooth Fairy
by David R SpellmanShe broke her arm,
the poor child,
and while the doctors
set it right,
casted her tender limb,
they extracted a tooth,
long overdue its removal was.
And in the excitement
of her bold pink cast,
all the questions from her peers,
the ceremonious signings,
learning to draw
with her other hand,
she had forgotten
to offer her pearly gem
and receive her just reward.
Weeks had gone by
before she finally realized
it was still left there
forgotten,
un-noticed,
unresolved.
“Mom!” she exclaimed,
“my tooth – I forgot
to give it to the tooth fairy. I
hope it’s not too late!”
“I’m sure it’s not honey,”
mom assured her. “You
be sure to leave it,
under the pillow tonight.
I’m sure she’ll come.”
Lost in the daily
chores of life, mom
had forgotten
and dad, well
he was just unaware.
Shaking and sobbing
she came the next morning,
so upset that her tooth
still lay where she had left it.
“Why didn’t she come?”
the child asked between sobs.
“What happened?” she wondered,
her world shattered.
At a loss, mom and dad,
they offered explanations:
Maybe it was too dirty.
Perhaps she was confused –
you did get up in the night.
But little could be said,
nothing could set things
right enough to comfort
this shaken young heart.
“Nice job, Dad!”
the older sibling said,
“The tooth fairy never came,”
an accusing air about her,
as if she might know
the truth of such things.
Later, as the day wore,
she came downstairs,
proudly displayed her
gleaming tooth – “I’ve
cleaned it,” she said. “Do
you think it looks good?”
“It’s fine, darling,” said Mom,
“The cleanest tooth I ever
did see,” exclaimed dad.
“I’ve made a sign, too,”
she spouted, “and I pasted it
above my bed. I don’t think
she could miss it. At least
I hope not,” she fretted.
As they lay her to sleep
that night, tucked her in
all safe and snug,
no more reminder
did they need than
the memory of her
morning sobs nor
did they ignore her
posted drawing, colored
brightly and loudly –
“Tooth is here”
with arrows pointing
downward to where her
sweet head rested.
The next day all
was right with the world –
the tooth fairy had
been there at last.
05/11/2008 Author's Note: for Megan
Posted on 05/12/2008
Copyright © 2025 David R Spellman
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Gabriel Ricard on 05/12/08 at 03:35 AM Just really, really nice. If I can be as simple as that. |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 05/14/08 at 12:33 AM Wonderful childhood story. One of those traditions that seems to live on! |
| Posted by Mara Meade on 05/14/08 at 08:34 PM Oh, just love this! It's so important in this crazy world for some things to just be...RIGHT, for goodness sakes! Sweet story! Sweet sweet sweet! |
| Posted by Bethany Lee on 05/14/08 at 08:42 PM awwwwwwww! Wonderful story. I got emotional...and I love the sign "Tooth is Here".
Bravo on this illustration... |
| Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 05/16/08 at 05:35 PM Wonderfully poetic family snapshot David. Brought back a long forgotten part of my own childhood as well. Thanks for that! :o) |
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