Lost Hair

I finger comb my shampooed silver/brown hair and

curly strands attach themselves to my digits,

which I shake off onto my hardwood floor,

where they will collect in corners

and under the couch

and eventually be swept up and

discarded.

Thank goodness I still have

plenty of hair left.

Maybe lost hair is like life.

Some things fall out of our lives.

They are swept up and discarded.

But there’s more that remains.

Author's Note

As I picked some hairs off my shoulder just now, I thought "Why not write about lost hair?" The metaphor came to me as I wrote. "But there's more that remains." That's the theme of a book that I wrote about what remains in my life after loss. The book, "What Remains Behind" is available on Amazon.

Reviews

[barleygirl]

I agree with your authors note, that we writers need to remind ourselves to capture each little moment of life in words. Amazing how many quality ideas are zooming by every moment, as we forget to jot them down. I keep a notepad & it's impossible to write about everything I jot down, but it helps me capture a fraction of these fleeting treasures. As for hair, I have a significant bald spot becuz I'm disabled & I spend much of my life lying down in extreme pain. But, as you say, I still have a thick mane of beautiful gray hair, which is what I see, not my bald spot! *smile*

[Ruth]

A lovely way to reflect. Like nature, a tree in Autumn when its leaves detach...each once a part of something yet also part of the bigger picture, the universal scheme so to speak. Loss leaves one feeling the void, emptiness so it is nice to know that there is much that remains after such a hollowness...thank you for the reminder, be well Shelley :)

[Samuel Dickens]

An interesting allegory. Thank goodness we can never lose everything, although it may sometimes feel that way. I knew a guy in the Navy who, only in his early 20's, was losing his hair. It worried him so that he developed an ulcer. Baldness was surely his destiny, and I've wondered if he learned to accept it. Hopefully, you'll always have plenty.

[Coyote Poetry]

Hello dear Shelley. I agree. Things loss, we do not need no-more. We must leave behind us. I liked how you used your hair and the good description. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry and your thoughts.
Coyote

[Shelley Warner]

Thank you for reading it Coyote. I was afraid some would think I was shaking digits on to the floor, rather than the hairs wrapped around my fingers. :)

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome dear Shelley.

[Chris Shaw]

Yes, it is what remains that counts Shelley. I lost all my hair once when I was going through chemo. It literally died over night and came out in huge handfuls the next morning. I never cried. I was left with a huge resolve to fight the cancer and see my hair grow back again. I have been lucky. Not everyone has that fortune. I am forever thankful.

Chris

[Shelley Warner]

That must have been awful to go through. I'm glad you recovered from cancer. And I can see from your photo that your hair grew back nicely.

[Chris Shaw]

Your poem is lovely Shelley. Not only in its visual quality but also the message it contains. . Yes, my hair grew back thicker and lighter in colour. Strange that.

[Shelley Warner]

It's interesting how hair does that. My brother went through chemo and lost his brown hair. It grew back white and soft and very nice.

[John the Baptist]

There is an upside lesson here, too: Be grateful you still have hair to lose. I know many who can't say that.

[Shelley Warner]

Yes, I am grateful. And grateful that the loss is minimal.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

the philosophy in this is perfect...great analogy....

still more life left even after much of it falls out for us.

very clever, Shelley. I love metaphor.
j.

[Shelley Warner]

Thank you for reading Jacob and for commenting.

[Melinda McQueen]

I so like this poem. I like how you used it as a metaphor. Lovely. It's neat you have a book on Amazon. I do as well. Nice to meet you. I hope we can become friends. :)

[Shelley Warner]

Thank you for reading and commenting Melinda. I ordered your book of poetry. I should be getting it today.