Best Perm Poems
Here you are, only twelve, at our kitchen table.
Such a carrot top you were! Strangers used to think
you were our red-head mother’s natural son.
And here’s that photo you took of me at college.
Though you’re not in it, how could I ever forget
it was you in front of me that snapped that shot?
For I’m laughing and so glad you came to see me!
In this one, all ten of us are in the back yard
dressed in our Sunday best - our first big reunion!
I’m nearly 30; just look at my silly perm!
Folks still mistake me for Dori in this picture!
Look how Mom and Thea - for once - are smiling!
You’re standing behind me, in a lovely grey suit,
only 32 and almost out of law school!
Here from more recent pictures, this shows a rare time
we were joined, but sadly, for Dad‘s funeral.
You‘re not in this one, Dale . . . nor in any others.
That picture in our back yard was to be the last.
My dear stepbrother, the best man I ever knew -
Taken from us so young. . . you remain beloved.
Written 10/9/13
Used today March 24, 2021 for
A Meaningful Poem - Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Constance La France
Categories:
perm, brother,
Form:
Free verse
A lot of people seem to love fabrication
I won’t judge
That’s just not me
A true poet is to each his own
It’s still poetry
Mine is MY life and MY story
Yours might be full of hopes and dreams that I can’t see
But if imagination is key
It’s still poetry
I won’t dye or perm my hair
That only masks your essences’ bare reality
Living this way
Writing that way
To each his own
It’s still poetry
Poetry is poetry is poetry
An artistic expression of ones feelings and ideas
Artistic?
Creative . . .
Creative?
Not your everyday average
Therefore, it can be make believe
It can be real
Either or, it should appeal to the audience
To seal a crowd of many zealous listeners or readers
I write for me though
If one can REALate, that is a bonus!
Categories:
perm, art, on writing and
Form:
Free verse
Remember the time.
Remember the days.
Before the weave…..
After the straightening comb and fried dried perm, wig…….
When we were beautiful,
Oh, so black and beautiful.
When the character of black was natural beauty.
Full shaped, shaved afro, natural "angela davis beautiful"!
Afro
No chemicals, no perms, no madame Whoever
No purchased existential emulations of beauty from a foreign, shaved head
No synthetic being.
How can I feel beautiful with someone else’s hair?
No locks of beauty yet, yet, yet
Or fake braids down the back like you woke.
However you may have be born, you wore it, proudly.
But natural black beauty, real awoke.
Just our washed and sun-dried selves, picked out and afro sheen, clean pure razor-sharp black hair
Fists razed in defiance of oppression and beautiful.
“A natural,” they said
“Naturally, beautifully pure”
Now, WE ARE STILL BEAUTIFUL
Woke and beautiful!
A beauty that costs,
Nothing!
A beauty of the spirit
That has always and will always
BE NATURAL!
Categories:
perm, black african american, change,
Form:
Free verse
Day one out of the womb – had a full crop of hair,
black like my daddy’s (it later went more fair).
Early childhood – Mom kept my brown hair short
because I’d twist it into knots. What a silly sport.
Peanut butter and some gum in my hair might stick.
Never a long hair style could I ever pick.
Pre-teen years – at last I saw my dark hair grow.
Pony tails and pig tails were ways my hair might show.
Junior High, late 60’s, hair piled high like a hive.
A wonder that no bumble bees were seen in there alive.
My hair was also parted always on one side.
I’d wear curlers in a store. Did I have no pride?
High school days – hair longer. In boring math at school,
I sat there pulling off split ends. Must have looked a fool!
College days – used a cheap product from the store.
“Sun-In” gave me reddish-blonde. I used it four times more.
The 80’s – got a perm. The curls were tight. Had oodles.
Now I can have sympathy for cockapoos and poodles.
90’s – used extensions. A lot of folks I fooled.
Strawberry blonde seemed to be the color then that ruled.
New century. New color. My hair was very blonde.
There were two guys in a tram in Rio that I conned.
My friend who looked American knew every word they stated.
About my natural color those guys in Portugese debated.
They finally decided my blonde was natural.
I got a kick out of those young fellows’ folderol.
Later on, my hair got over-bleached. I showered, and
lots of strands of it crumbled right into my hand.
After that, while growing out dark roots about two years,
I wore a wig until uncolored hair went past my ears.
A co-worker , not knowing I wore a wig at school,
told me that my hair had never looked so cool!
By 2010, my hair was in a rut.
Only one side of it grew, so I’d always get it cut.
Turned 60 and got cancer. Ate better to be stronger.
Miraculously my hair AND nails grew a whole lot longer.
Since then till now, my daughter’s been my dear beautician.
She keeps the gray away and my hair in good condition.
Were my hair not dyed, salt and pepper it would be.
I love my gold-like hair, thick, and long and wavy.
Some people think a woman of my age should wear a shorter “do.”
Decades it took to get this look, so NO (and I’ll keep my cute bangs too!)
Categories:
perm, growth, hair,
Form:
Other
KING ME!!
"Another date you and I !!"
Sharing moments ~ "Eye To Eye!!"
Lost of words and you know why?
Your trophy is to kill,
mine's to hang you out to dry.
Testing your skill,
simmering my skills down to your level.
You play like Mr Sandman, slipping me with a sleeping pill.
You don't have what it takes to pick up the pace.
You think this is like the rabbit and turtle race.
You take up, to much time studying my moves.
"DUH~ YOU DUMMY!!"
"I pull the same ones, THAT'S WHY YOU ALWAYS LOSE!! "
In some games you have me figured out.
Due to that one corner move, that makes me shout.
Another double jump'
You got me off guard!
I love the way you show me~ NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A RETARD~
King me!
You say and I say no way!
Another game you win, when I lose my patients to play.
Every one of your moves has a ploy,
My sweet love, I'm only here to destroy.
I don't know why you think this game is LONG-TERM.
Waiting for you to move, is wearing out my new perm.
I can feel all the mass pass me by, its like watching a worm slowly die.
Sorry if I jumped twice before your piece was confirm.
But, it is very cute to watch you wiggle and squirm.
I don't like the way you bring my race with a slow victory.
It's like killing a roach without glory.
I rejects this formal game to base it on reality.
As our minds are internal contradictory.
I hope you realize you will never be better than me.
All the games you won, lets say there where freebies.
In order to play a flawless game of checkers,
you have to consider "" no winners at all ""
Go ahead and jump, this one's on me.
I love the way you tease and love me tenderly.
KING ME!
There you go with your dirty grin.
So devilish, when I let you win.
by;p.d.
dedicated to: Nate..
Who can't keep up with my wins on CHECKERS.....
Categories:
perm, funny, slam, me, games,
Form:
Narrative
I'm a black woman and I cry
I'm a black woman and I cry
You've been telling me
all my life
that everything was going to be alright.
But I cried when I was a little girl
when I had to cut my locks
into Shirley Temple curls.
And I cry now that I am a woman of the world.
And I can see
it still matters if I want to be
an afro or a weave.
Who should care if I want to be a blond?
If, I want my hair to be short or long?
No matter what I do I will always be black
or to be more politically correct
African American.
I will always have to pray for my dark son
for he can be shot because of a profile
or by a thug
no matter if his hair is nappy
or greasy and waved up.
And even if my lover be kind and white,
People will say he isn't the one that should be happy
but I.
They will say
the privilege to feel our love is totally mine,
no matter if I had braids,
or had straight hair below my behind.
And if we have children, their pedigree
will be determined by the black blood
that flows through me.
Even if their hair is yellow and curly.
For that was one law that never changed
After reconstruction or slavery days...
And all the laws that passed and said I was free
seems like a lie to me.
Because I can't even decide how to wear
my own head of hair
without it being such a big affair
and a symbol of how much I care
to demonstrate
that I am proud to say
I'm black and I'm beautiful.
But, that is the question to which I must answer
and tell the truth...
How do I say "Be proud!"
To the little girl that comes from my womb
if my appearance brings any doubt
about what I think my heritage
is all about.
So today I don't buy any Indian hair
And I throw my jar of perm in the trash
And I sit my pretty tender head in the chair
And when she says "Ma that cornrow’s too tight!"
I say "Child!
Be quiet!
Sit back!
Mama ain’t got all night. "
Categories:
perm, beautiful, beauty, black african
Form:
Rhyme
There once was a man from somewhere
Who had trouble with his nose hair
So he gave them a perm
With a wiggle and squirm
And won second prize at the fair
Categories:
perm, hair, humorous,
Form:
Limerick
It was black America who told me I wasn't "really black" because my skin wasn't dark enough, and my hair was too good,
because I spoke Spanish, and didn't grow up in the hood.
They told me to fit in, I needed to wear different clothes.
That I didn't understand why they couldn't reach their goals.
Told me to pray to Jesus, the same one the white man made
The one forced upon "our" ancestors way back during slave trade.
It was black America that picked on me as a kid
Because I had 2 parents growing up, when none of them did
It was black America who wanted me to perm my hair
They told me that I needed to start acting like I care
Um excuse me? Have you looked at yourself clearly?
You look like a wanna be Barbie, and I say that dearly.
It was black America who made me feel like an outcast, like I didn't fit in
Guess what, at the end of the day, I'm still one of them.
Categories:
perm, america, black african american,
Form:
He came 'floatin' down the river on a truck tire tube
With a rag round his head that was dipped in Lube
Hung sunglasses on. . . held back by his ears
Then he picked up a pen releasing the tears!
Of all the ' Boo-Hooing' I confess he's the best
Jerking our chains until "we" attest;
"Our hearts are so broken lost in this lie"
Edwin write a poem! You simply must try!
And soon there is singing quite happy are we
Edwin's moving his pen for you and for me!
So we'll keep on swooning and waitin to see
His new book release...The Big Number 3
1/22/16
Categories:
perm, celebration,
Form:
Rhyme
Eve, dear Eve, you are such a sweet lady
My heart skips a beat when you write me, oh baby!
I tingle and squirm
And mess up my perm
My thoughts could be considered a wee bit shady!
© Jack Ellison 2015
Categories:
perm, fun, tribute,
Form:
Limerick
I met her briefly though it seems
Now she is just a fading dream
I wish I could, meet her once again
I guess it wasn't meant to be
To join together perm-anent-ly
I'd still be happy, to be her friend
But the world is a very big place
People move and don't leave a trace
Years fly by like dust in the wind
Could she had loved me, I don't know
I should have let my feeling show
But, I was to afraid of the fall
But the world is a very big place
People move and don't leave a trace
Years fly by like dust in the wind
As time moves on eternally
I'll recall that distance memory
Of that time, that I held the wind
Categories:
perm, desire, friendship, how i
Form:
Lyric
You're an ugly face
with craving skin
I can't wait long to kiss.
You're an eye lid frightened
powdered face.
A love that I can't miss.
You're the skirt filled legged,
primest girl
I could hope to see.
You're a straight taunt blouse
with ample breasts
showing all that you can be.
You're the girl next door
leaning to the fence,
swooning up against one knee.
You're a perm haired whirl
turning all the heads
with me hoping you are free.
You're the first kiss made
in a passioned wrestle
from two tongues without a sound.
You're a night of passion
to a dawn of rest
with the day swept off the ground.
You're the girl for me
till our time runs out
and our love's left to remember.
You're a memory made
in a notch for me
in an ending in September.
Categories:
perm, beauty, break up, desire,
Form:
Couplet
"Cuts and Curls," opened today.
And needing a new look, I went in right away.
"A cut and curl and perm if you please,"
I told the young man as I sat back in ease.
He shampooed my hair as I dozed in my chair.
Then dreaming of a famous mirror on the wall,
I wondered if I'd be the fairest of them all?
Prince Charming was there, and he gave me a kiss.
But he went too far and started licking my lips!
I opened my eyes, and staring up at me,
was a pampered and powdered, pink pedigree.
Then I reached for a mirror to look at my hair,
but a curly headed pink poodle was all I saw there!
A flush of red color covered my face.
Oh, why wasn't I told this was a pet grooming place!
Categories:
perm, beauty, humor,
Form:
Rhyme
Thinking about Brian's recent Footle contest (my crazy eyes had been seeing FOOTIE all this
time and just realized yesterday it is called FOOTLE with LE on the end) I proceeded to drive
to the movie up in Salt Lake, only place I was able to catch a showing of Chloe. As I drove
up there, I was racking my brain for a Footle, and suddenly, they started coming to me.
They are so short, I could easily jot them down on paper atop my steering wheel and it was
a great way to occupy my time. Brian's little contest was a great inspiration for me. I ended
up with more than thirty (I thought they needed to be rhymed on both syllables) so now that
I know I can do the first syllable unrhymed, that should make it all the more easier to think
up even more. Please let me know your favorite of the bunch and the ones that are too
stupid in case I ever do a chapbook on these! YOu guys gotta try these. The trick is to
rhyme the words and then make a title to fit the poem! LUv, Andrea
Pickpocket Bunny
Grab it
Rabbit
Offspring of Tinkerbell & Frodo
Hairy
Fairy
Gerber’s Strained Peas
Easy
Pea sy
Shirley Temple with a perm
SURELY
Curly
Mrs. Ed on Laughing Gas
Silly
Filly
A Greeter
Hello
Fellow
Art of Love
Hold ‘er
Mold’ er
Survivor Food
Lizards’
Gizzards
Grape Jelly Kiss
Smucker
Pucker
Sour Lemons’ Motto
Blew it!
Screw it!
Categories:
perm, funny,
Form:
Monorhyme
upon hard grey streets of asphalt I drive
through morn’s muted orange glow
white headlights shine, red brake lights blink in time
with changing signals red, yellow, green
disoriented city visitors a hindrance to the flow
why at seven a.m.
now stopped two cars back waiting for green
a woman in a minivan ahead primps methodically
striving in effect to give herself a perm.
the man beside is engrossed in the news
early edition of today’s tabloid spread over the wheel
will he know when it’s time to go
behind, a husband and wife, I assume
each talk animatedly on their phones
while obnoxious unrestrained children carouse
a movie playing on the DVD
an ancient pickup stopped in the suicide lane
right turn flashing “let me in!”
green, the light changes, yet still we wait
one, two, three and horns start to blare
shaken are they from hypnotic states
virtual hair salons, libraries, and phone booths abandoned
traffic moves once again in earnest
until the very next crowded intersection.
Categories:
perm, funny, parody, places,
Form:
Narrative