Notes About The Poem

12/10/2025

I had just started Junior High School (a.k.a. Middle School) and was grooving to a way cooler vibe than I had ever experienced in Elementary School, until the weekend my dad decided my hair was too long and he was going to cut it. I tried my best to convince him to let me go to the barber shop as I had been doing, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I spent 5 minutes explaining how I wanted it cut as he stood there pretending to listen. Then he put the barber cape around my shoulders, turned on the clippers and proceeded to run them without a guide over the top of my head. One deep furrow down to the scalp. “This should last you for a while,” he said with a laugh, ignoring my protests as he finished the dirty deed. 

 

In the spirit of full disclosure, I had crew cuts the first ten years of my life; but this was the mid-1960s and I was a teen. Not cool, Dad.

 

Image concept by Poet using DALL-E (2025-12-8)

Dad Joke

cool kids at school
mop tops,
pompadours,
hippie hair,
afros…
me?
a crew cut—
really, dad?


~*~*~*
Copyright © | Year Posted 2025

Poem

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Goldsmith Avatar
December 11, 2025 at 11:46 AM
I  enjoy reading your wonderful "Dad Joke" write/story. What a great picture you have here. Kids sure can be mean. Thanks for your note. Have a fun day writing away............
Toney Avatar
December 13, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Thank you for the encouraging comment, Paula. Enjoy your weekend!
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