My new dentist asks me if I grind my teeth
Not on purpose I say
It must be while you sleep
The motion releases a soothing chemical in your brain

I know this must be true
That even as I sleep I can’t
Comfortably fit into the mold of normal
The edges that stick out the sides of the mold
Are the things that make
Teeth grind
Hair twirl
Skin pick
Feet rub
Hands tap
Lips bit

My body knows my mind is never at home
And it is trying to reassure it
Everything is ok
I am enough
I am home everywhere I walk
Other people’s opinions
Are not cages
That can trap you and take away your freedom
You are in control of all this