Hair
A poem detailing my hair journey throughout the years
Chapter 1
I told her it hurts. Sat cross legged on the floor. Pins and needles head and feet. I pretended to scratch my head to see how much was left. Less than half. I started to cry. She said if I moved less it wouldn’t hurt.
Auntie is a liar.
Chapter 2
I got ringworms and had to have my hair cut off.
Teachers kept saying
ah ropafadzo! saka Wagerwa bvudzi pfupipfupi, zvakakunakira.
I looked like a boy and boys are gross but friends liked it. They had it that way also. So I liked it too.
Chapter 3
Moved to the UK to stay with dad. I came to school with my hair out and everyone laughed and kept touching it.
It also rained today. It rains a lot in the UK. My hair shrunk at school and some girls called it stupid. This is what hair does back home,
Here no one cares to listen
I hate the UK.
I hate it.
I hate it.
I hate it.
Chapter 4
“I am not my hair, I am not this skin” — India Arie
People are saying natural hair is the new trend. Boys in my class don’t think so. They don’t seem to like the what grows from my skin. Everyone has a boyfriend but me.
Chapter 5
Dad’s girlfriend relaxed my hair. It’s now straight like everyone else.
Everyone liked it. Harry likes it too.
Chapter 6
Dad found out I signed my own planner. He said beating me up didn’t seem to be working.He cut my hair off as punishment. Everyone at school couldn’t stop looking. I told them I was staring in a movie called “The Black Monk” and they believed it.
Idiots.
Chapter 7
“I am not my hair, I am not this skin, I am not your expectation no” — India Arie
Listened to this song for the first time. I cried.
Who ever said music can’t change lives was a liar.
Maybe this trend could be a revolution instead?
Chapter 8
Nina Samone,
Eryka Badu,
India Ari,
Solange Knowles,
Lupita Nyongo,
Chapter 9
Harry said he prefers my hair long and straight. I told him he’s going to be disappointed in summer.
He also asked me why black women always have to politicise hair.
Summer, South Afria 2017-
water from freshly washed hair drips down my skin, I had forgotten what freedom felt like
