A Hair Cut

Half a foot, too short …

the objection to the shearing direction

‘above the collar …’ overruled.

My father’s sense of contemporary fashion

a few reflections behind the times, still

that other side of the continental divide,

considered hair, or lack thereof,

the definitive factor to determination

of a son’s invirility.

 

When I mentioned Christ’s coif

clearly covered his trapezius and

apparently hadn’t bothered his father,

my father ordered another inch lopped

off for insubordination. His son,  

far from divine it seems, would do well

he said, to remember the fifth

and pivotal command of his house …

ears should be seen … which I’d remind him of

 

every time he broached the pirate’s pearl I adopted

the day I sailed. His house,

my ear a hair … too long.   

Ken e Bujold

Reviews

[andrew mitchell]

My dad cut my hair and always said there’s only two weeks between a good and bad haircut. And so I got the worst fringe cut out. Nice write Ken, had me pondering on hair.

[emmajoygreen]

Hair offers itself as a sacrifice.. says the slowly towering teen, needing to find self, be self and.. more. No intentional arguments with parent, but a hint of what is to come: adulthood! The cutting of hair is to many, the sign of an organised mind, the length is tangible truth that 'one is dropping standards' - perhaps to the shoulders! Neat hair and polished shoes have never been logical reasons for starting a war, but oh how can there be over the simplest things... or perhaps that it is the most simple things that can be an excuse to shower a modicum of power!?!? PS 'And whilst you're in my house you do what I say.'

I wonder how many times that has been said as lad walks out the house... then spends the remainder of his life explaining why he had to leave home, when seems the reason could have been,

'My father’s sense of contemporary fashion
a few reflections behind the times, still
that other side of the continental divide,
considered hair, or lack thereof,
the definitive factor to determination
of a son’s invirility.'

To each his own when two men live under the same roof..

[Lorry]

It's funny how back then a parents disappointment could be over the length of his sons hair. Just hope he is resting in peace, hidden from the agonies of today's choices, like a restaurant menu. We just pick what we want and get rid of what we don't.
I don't think my dad batted an eyelid when I rocked up with the severest crew cut in history, he was probably just glad I'd be using less shampoo! ☺

[W. Barrett Munn]

Been there. Excellent work.

Winston

[Ken Simm.]

I know exactly what this fantastic write means. Having lived through something similar. Until I grew and decided on Christ length hair myself and not only that but an earring to boot. Well not actually to boot although it was big enough to hold a parrot. Excellent work. I really enjoyed it.

[Betty Hermelee]

Dear Ken, from the likes of it, it sounds like your father was in the army! Or maybe he thought it was the style back then…..; in addition in seems like your father was pretty strict with and if you didnt Listen, there were consequences…..Christ’s coif was quite long, not a good idea to bring up to him….. like the way you personalize this piece and again it probably was a sign of the times….
Warmly
B