Preparing For Bullies

Catha’s hair glistened in the Celtic way Druids would have worshipped her A sprinkle of cinnamon on her arms Her face pixie-like and heart shaped People fell in love with her Scottish, Irish and Druids claimed her We were five when Ma spun the Catha stories. For our benefit, to honor our McCormick ginger hair. To help us feel normal with our copper hair And our plethora of freckles. Born near Stonehenge, Gifted with a soothsayer’s heart She was more fey than the faeries More gypsy than the Romans. Clairaudient and clairsentient, She sensed brownies, elves, and poltergeists We were seven when our classmates began to bully us Making fun of our McCormick ginger hair. To try and make us feel ashamed of our copper hair And our plethora of freckles, but it did not work For we were like Catha, the pride of the clan. Mother’s preparation suiting us up to ignore their evil taunts.