For Who

Plaiting, twisting, weaving It always seemed as though I was being thatched Her skill was to fix what was matching But did she ever bother, to know what inside my head hatched? Waxing, locking, braiding She had to follow what I desired I wondered if God approved all that transpired Nor did I have to go through it all As I changed my look from time to time, like a rolling ball. Pony Yaya, Pony Tail, Haiyaki Were all these for pleasing my Waiyaki? But he never wore more than his clean shave! And I never wished he had a Mohawk wave Neither the locks that were dreaded That had made Moha's reputation in the village shredded! Treating, combing, straightening I felt her soft fingers glide through my scalp Then I realized it was her source of livelihood To prove her motherhood. For her three lovely lasses It did not matter whose scalp she encountered. Because she adored and did this, even for their eyeglasses Their joy and success was all she lived for For, he, who she had given herself to Had left, for her, A 'trendy' woman next door.