35 Comments
Jan 14Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

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.

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“...and I fill with ache for how sorely my mother

still carries my tumblings inside her.”

The definition of “mother” ❤️

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Jan 14Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

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.

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What a different take on "cowlicks." This poem made me smile, andnd wonder what other assumptions stylists might make about our hair Thanks Phyllis.😄

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I needed a good example of an Ekphrastic poem. This fits the bill.

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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!

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Jan 14Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

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

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Jan 14Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

“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!

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Jan 14Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

wonderful poem. I especially like the rhymes you may not have intended -- there is a lullaby quality to this.

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Jan 14Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

Beautiful poem. Very powerful and unexpected ending. Thanks for sharing.

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Jan 14Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

This is so beautiful and profound!

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Jan 14Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

Loved this poem... masterful and evocative. Thank you

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Jan 15Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

Oh that was so beautiful! My child has wild cowlicks and I'm going to send this to him <3

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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

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A Child’s Prayer

conceived devoid

of blueprint, full of intent

Dear Lord guide my feet

Bill A. Marable

1/15/23

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Jan 20Liked by Phyllis Cole-Dai

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.

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