On the eve of starting high school, today, my 11 year old daughter has had a hair cut for the first time. Naturally, I am dealing with feelings by hiding in the garden where she cant see me cry and writing a poem to share with strangers, rather than let her see those nicks in the thinning umbilical chord the scissors made.
*
My daughter cut her hair today.
The baby blond ends fell away and left blunt, squared strands,
In a line. No evidence of the topsy turvey frazzling, dazzling decade
Discarded on the linoed floor. I gathered it up and in tipping forward,
Sprung a leak I tried to stem with smiles and punchy platitudes.
It looks great. So much healthier. Stronger. Ready for high school.
And in my hand her childhood curled, soft, untamed.
Finished with.
About the Creator
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The steps to losing a child
Step One: Lose a child. Not what anyone wants to happen and nothing you can do to change it, but you can go through steps to becoming happy again. You can go through steps to loving again. You can go through steps to become a new you because after losing a child you will never be the same person you once were.
By Tabitha Hinkley5 days ago in Fiction
Comments (8)
You just reminded me that one day my son probably will want to cut his hair but not right now. I identify with this because I will miss his lovely afro and the cornrows and twists I do for him weekly. He probably will feel liberated from the comb and brush tho ahahahaa. He loves how it looks when it done, hates having to sit for it to happen.
Her hair is so lovely and gorgeous! I hope you feel better now after writing this. Sending you lots of love and hugs! ❤️
Such a gorgeous wholesome poem
Ah, not quite finished ❤
Dear Mrs. Hannah ~ Just lovely how our stories stream out memories in all of us - Mom clipped mine and my twins "Blond" Curls and they were found in her safe deposit box. We are not "Strangers" within our little Village Community Jay
So Beautifully written! My heart goes out to you...
Solitude and your poem was definitely the right choice, imho. Beautifully expressed.
Ooh! But having extremely long hair is not practical. And thinning of the umbilical cord is inevitable. But it's a letting grow, not letting go thing - it's good, right?