"Regrets"
Ma told me not to cut my hair
she said after years of growing
she was sure I would regret it
and besides it would take forever,
at least five years, to grow back
but that Friday night
four of us were lounging in Alice's bedroom
drinking cherry cokes
and gossiping about who was going to ask who
to the Spring Formal
and all of a sudden
totally out of the blue Alice said
that we should all cut our hair
because we would look like the girls in the magazines
and besides, it would be much cooler
and more comfortable when we played tennis
this summer
it seemed like a good idea
so Alice got her ma's sewing scissors
and we started chopping away
Alice said we should cut mine first
because it would take the longest
her ma came in when
we were halfway through
eighteen inches gone
off the left side
she gasped and said,
"Your mother is not going to be happy"
and she was partially right
my mother was not happy
she went in her bedroom
and cried when she saw me
but then she came back out
and helped me finish the right side
so at least it would be even
when she was done
she showed me a picture from Harper's
I really do look like all of those college girls
out on the tennis courts
but then I went in my bedroom and cried
Alice was probably right
it will be cooler when we play tennis
but my ma was right too
I miss my hair.
(C) Carol Wilcox, 2016
1 comment:
I knew this would be a big jump. We last heard from Iva on April 5-7. She and her mother moved to Denver when her mother claimed her inheritance from her uncle (Iva's great uncle).
But your poem seems like it could be Lizzy from back on April 2...or from anyone (all of us?) who has had haircut regret?!?!
I am impressed by the dedication of the writer who will go to Kinkos and deal with a PC in order to make it to the finish line with this project! You're a real trooper, a dedicated writer, and a true friend!
Post a Comment