Beautiful! I've always loved the word cowlick as a description of the swirls, some oddly placed, on my head. Thinking of it this way gives me an entirely different and very sweet feeling.
How I loved this! Made me laugh at myself for getting annoyed with my hair AND I found my hand on my heart when I got to the end. Thank you, dear Phyllis.
Interesting, Bill. Can you say more? I typically think of an ekphrastic poem has having been written in response to a piece of art. Here, would the piece of art be the comment by the stylist that inspired the poem?
You turn our view of the world upside down surprising all with a different take on life, A hairdressers a fortune teller and the origins of cowlicks. Such fun to read and ponder the down deep meaning of the ache of the poet. Thanks.
P.S. I have cowlicks all over my head, my childhood photos prove it. I still can't find ways to tame them.
“So much depends on the first knittings of skin,” oh, yes. I related as a fellow cowlick-owner. And then the turn from self to other, the compassion; wow!
Ah, thanks for clarifying, Bill! No, I picked the photo to companion the poem for this post. But of course it would have happened the other way too! Maybe YOU could write a poem in response to the image?
Beautiful! I've always loved the word cowlick as a description of the swirls, some oddly placed, on my head. Thinking of it this way gives me an entirely different and very sweet feeling.
I hear you! That's why the stylist's comment stuck with me. Bless your cowlicks!
“...and I fill with ache for how sorely my mother
still carries my tumblings inside her.”
The definition of “mother” ❤️
Surely the definition of mine! ❤️
How I loved this! Made me laugh at myself for getting annoyed with my hair AND I found my hand on my heart when I got to the end. Thank you, dear Phyllis.
Bless your wild hair! Thank YOU, Julie.
What a different take on "cowlicks." This poem made me smile, andnd wonder what other assumptions stylists might make about our hair Thanks Phyllis.😄
This stylist, whom I know only by walking into Great Clips, gave me a great gift.
I needed a good example of an Ekphrastic poem. This fits the bill.
Interesting, Bill. Can you say more? I typically think of an ekphrastic poem has having been written in response to a piece of art. Here, would the piece of art be the comment by the stylist that inspired the poem?
You turn our view of the world upside down surprising all with a different take on life, A hairdressers a fortune teller and the origins of cowlicks. Such fun to read and ponder the down deep meaning of the ache of the poet. Thanks.
P.S. I have cowlicks all over my head, my childhood photos prove it. I still can't find ways to tame them.
They can be named curls too!
Maybe the respect we show our cowlicks is the respect due the untamed parts of ourselves. 🤪
Mm yes, hair stylist fortune tellers, love this notion. And live the word whorls.
Oh my heart, that last line Straight to the gut. Thank you Phyllis
I was so grateful for that word "whorls"! And for me, the poem is made by the ending. I knew it when it "came through."
Yes, yes!♡♡♡♡
“So much depends on the first knittings of skin,” oh, yes. I related as a fellow cowlick-owner. And then the turn from self to other, the compassion; wow!
Thank you, Jan. Bless your cowlicks!
wonderful poem. I especially like the rhymes you may not have intended -- there is a lullaby quality to this.
"lullaby quality"—I hadn't thought of that. And I like sprinkling rhymes, as well as finding them. (Sometimes I like them TOO much!)
Beautiful poem. Very powerful and unexpected ending. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Lisa, for reading and responding. The ending surprised me too!
This is so beautiful and profound!
Thank you, Paula. Inspiration is all around us (and ON us)!
Loved this poem... masterful and evocative. Thank you
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Cherise. Got cowlicks?
Oh that was so beautiful! My child has wild cowlicks and I'm going to send this to him <3
That makes me smile! 😊
Hi, There was a photo that appeared atop of the poem:
“Bubble of a Womb,” created by nwinn (shared under Creative Commons license)
I thought the poem was about that photo. . . it seemed to me to be
Ah, thanks for clarifying, Bill! No, I picked the photo to companion the poem for this post. But of course it would have happened the other way too! Maybe YOU could write a poem in response to the image?
A Child’s Prayer
conceived devoid
of blueprint, full of intent
Dear Lord guide my feet
Bill A. Marable
1/15/23
"Conceived devoid / of blueprint" — !!
I love this, especially this line:
From the looks of things, you
must have been trouble, always rolling around,
Have you read this book?
Mom Genes: Inside the New Science of Our Ancient Maternal Instinct
Mom Genes: Inside the New Science of Our Ancient Maternal Instinct
by Abigail Tucker
I think you might love it.
Thanks for the feedback and for the book suggestion, Catherine! I'll look it up . . .