Home » Poems » Njeri Hunjeri » Where's My Wig

Where's My Wig

Two girls whisper something
I know they are talking about my hair

One of them has long straight sleek hair that reaches her mid back
The other has short hair that's smooth and silky 

Of course I can tell that the long hair isn't real, neither is the short
I wonder what's the price tag on the long hair
Must be someone's else hair
Or must be from the factory 
I bet she can't wait to take it off when she gets home, in her privacy, away from the adoring eyes of admirers of beauty 
I bet she can't wait for the end of the month when she gets paid so she can spent the bigger portion of her cheque on new hair

And the short hair! Girl, I bet she spends uncountable hours on it
The amount of time and man power spend on bringing out that "magic" must be a fortune 
And the amounts of chemicals dumped in that hair......if only scalps could talk!
Someone could be paying not just physical damage but also psychological one

Two girls whisper something 
Two girls make fun of me

They make fun of my natural hair
My hair has many names kinky, nappy....etc 
Some girls think I don't care
but I am proud of what I see in the mirror 

"I AM NOT MY HAIR" Thank you India Arie

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Lena Smith Carter

Date: 9/4/2015 12:35:00 PM

Njeri, so much of our time and social commentary is "tied up" with hair, huh? Loved the back and forth between the girls; we may not hear "it" but know something was said. Great observation on the "sociology of hair." L

Njeri Hunjeri
Date: 9/17/2015 2:15:00 PM

thank you Lena. I love "sociology of hair". it sounds like a college class or study. I like it:-)

Jack Nganga

Date: 8/31/2015 9:09:00 AM

"Your not your hair " Whats indie arie got to do with it? Anyway, the two girls are symbolic of how women butcher each others hairstyles with little consideration how fake theirs is. natural is the way to go. Wigs should be for folks in coffins

Njeri Hunjeri
Date: 9/17/2015 2:06:00 PM

I was referring to the song by Indie Arie titled "I am not my hair". yes we women are so notorious of butchering each others looks. I actually don't mind wigs. I wear them sometimes. its just in this case I had two girls that were making fun of my natural hair and that really bothered me. thank you Jack

Marion Mwangi

Date: 8/27/2015 8:43:00 AM

hahahaha...if only scalps could talk! i loved it. you have locks i think and locks are great. i look at my moms picture back in the 70s/80's and wonder how she maintained it that way i have her hair and i prefer to plait it. love the inspiration behind the poem too.

Njeri Hunjeri
Date: 9/17/2015 2:07:00 PM

I love locks but I change my hair all the time. like now its natural. its much easier and cheaper to maintain. but trust me in a few months, ill be having something different. thank you Marion

Ian Jones

Date: 8/24/2015 4:08:00 AM

I remember the 70's with those huge Afros, constantly preened and patted. The nightly routine of pomade and plaits. Hair for me is a distant memory my parting becoming ever wider, I don't know if I'm qualified to comment on hair. Robbie Burns said, Wad a power the giftie gie us, T see oursels as ithers see us. Translated to what power for a fairy to give us to see ourselves as others see us. Kind regards, Ian

Njeri Hunjeri
Date: 9/17/2015 2:12:00 PM

lol yes Ian you can comment about hair. I wish I could wear those huge afros. I admire them. thank you Ian

Paul Callus

Date: 8/23/2015 2:32:00 PM

We are what we are! Better natural than artificial. That does not mean that you don't look after your appearance, as long as you stay in the limits of 'you'. // paul

Njeri Hunjeri
Date: 9/17/2015 2:11:00 PM

that's very true. as long as we are ourselves and not trying to please other people or a society. thank you Paul