Good Hair by Sherman Alexie
Hi Readers!
It's been awhile since I shared a poem, for which I apologize. Recently, I was browsing through poets.org, which contains poetry selections from a wide variety of different time periods and authors. One poem that stood out to me was by Sherman Alexie, a preeminent Native American writer whose works often carry very powerful messages. I hope you all appreciate this poem of his as much as I did.
It's been awhile since I shared a poem, for which I apologize. Recently, I was browsing through poets.org, which contains poetry selections from a wide variety of different time periods and authors. One poem that stood out to me was by Sherman Alexie, a preeminent Native American writer whose works often carry very powerful messages. I hope you all appreciate this poem of his as much as I did.
- The Soup Chef
(P.S. If you have any poems that you would like to share, please do so in the comments section!)
Good Hair
By Sherman Alexie
Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?
Do you grieve their loss? Have you thought twice about your braids?
With that long, black hair, you looked overtly Indian.
If vanity equals vice, then does vice equal braids?
Are you warrior-pretend? Are you horseback-never?
Was your drum-less, drum-less life disguised by your braids?
Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?
You have school-age kids, so did head lice invade your braids?
Were the scissors impulsive or inevitable?
Did you arrive home and say, “Surprise, I cut my braids”?
Do you miss the strange women who loved to touch your hair?
Do you miss being eroticized because of your braids?
Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?
Did you weep or laugh when you said goodbye to your braids?
Did you donate your hair for somebody’s chemo wig?
Is there a cancer kid who thrives because of your braids?
Did you, peace chief, give your hair to an orphaned sparrow?
Is there a bald eagle that flies because of your braids?
Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?
Was it worth it? Did you profit? What’s the price of braids?
Did you cut your hair after your sister’s funeral?
Was it self-flagellation? Did you chastise your braids?
Has your tribe and clan cut-hair-mourned since their creation?
Did you, ceremony-dumb, improvise with your braids?
Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?
Was it a violent act? Did you despise your braids?
Do you grieve their loss? Have you thought twice about your braids?
With that long, black hair, you looked overtly Indian.
If vanity equals vice, then does vice equal braids?
Are you warrior-pretend? Are you horseback-never?
Was your drum-less, drum-less life disguised by your braids?
Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?
You have school-age kids, so did head lice invade your braids?
Were the scissors impulsive or inevitable?
Did you arrive home and say, “Surprise, I cut my braids”?
Do you miss the strange women who loved to touch your hair?
Do you miss being eroticized because of your braids?
Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?
Did you weep or laugh when you said goodbye to your braids?
Did you donate your hair for somebody’s chemo wig?
Is there a cancer kid who thrives because of your braids?
Did you, peace chief, give your hair to an orphaned sparrow?
Is there a bald eagle that flies because of your braids?
Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?
Was it worth it? Did you profit? What’s the price of braids?
Did you cut your hair after your sister’s funeral?
Was it self-flagellation? Did you chastise your braids?
Has your tribe and clan cut-hair-mourned since their creation?
Did you, ceremony-dumb, improvise with your braids?
Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?
Was it a violent act? Did you despise your braids?
hey Isabel!! thanks for sharing the poem. I hadn't heard of it before but it made me think about societal expectations and objectification, especially the lines
ReplyDelete"Do you miss the strange women who loved to touch your hair?
Do you miss being eroticized because of your braids?"
Thanks for sharing!!
claire @ clairefy
Hey claire!
DeleteGlad to hear that you enjoyed the poem. And I definitely agree with your point about the societal objectification, I noticed it too! Thanks for visiting Reading Soup! :)
-Isabel