teeth didn't enter the dream

in the usual way falling out

to indicate change. two platypuses did

as if to spite my uncertainty

about how to make them plural

in language. they bit my hands

with their mammalian bodies

my hands went numb. I cried out

"I am a writer!" I called 911

I am good at handling emergencies

with my teeth I duct-taped my fingers

they sat on their spurs and laughed

when the nurse came she acted as if

I had blown things out of proportion