A Reflection on That Time I Let My Husband Cut My Hair

He said he’d watched a tutorial.
He said symmetry was a myth
fueled by Big Geometry.

I laughed. That was my first mistake.

My second was passing him the scissors
without asking him about his dominant hand.
(It was vibes. His hand was vibes.)

Snip.

He called it edgy. I called it
accidentally spiritual—
because seeing your own scalp
before coffee
is a kind of awakening.

He apologized by making pancakes
in the shape of angels.
I joked, You know these look like ghosts.
He replied so sincerely, I don’t see it. 

And that was the moment I knew: 
this is who I chose. The kind of man 
who conflates confidence with capability, 
specters with satiety, and bad haircuts 
with love. 

I could have done worse.

That bald spot grew over,
like a lot of mistakes—
as if nothing had happened.
But when I hear the snip-snapping
of blades testing the air, I still flinch. 
Just a little.

Which is to say, I’m older now,
but still not immune to vanity, 
or apology, or pancakes, 
especially when they’re fueled
by good intentions.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2025

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George Avatar
April 13, 2025 at 12:04 AM
I enjoyed your poem, Jaymee. It is my husband who trims my hair. But at times he uses the scissors in such a way as if he is an expert barber. But the outcome is often appalling....So I too flinch when he comes with the promise of doing it better this time.
Thomas Avatar
April 14, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Valsa, that is hilarious and also very sweet. I won't let my husband near a pair of scissors from here on out though xD. This is a story from 2020 when all the salons were closed, and I was feeling desperate. Never again LOL
Seeker Avatar
April 12, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Hahaha ~ enjoyed. Remain blessed, Jaymee
Thomas Avatar
April 14, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Oh, I'm so glad you liked it. I have to admit it was a lot of fun to write xD. Have the best week, Unseeking Seeker. You certainly helped to make mine better already :)
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