by Indigo Mays
The curly coiled strands of hair as soft as can be
refuse my plea to lay down to rest on my head today.
Combs, custards, creams, and conditioners all try to reason
with the hair,
But the curly coiled strands of hair still try to touch the sky.
The curly coiled strands of hair as soft as can be
are prodded picked and pet,
by onlookers whose wandering hands end up
where they shouldn’t be.
The curly coiled strands of hair as soft as can be
descend from elegant excellence who loved their rebellious curls.
Their curly crowns were worn like fine jewelry for the rich,
But onlookers saw this pride and forced the curls to become
silky straight.
The elegant excellence was forced to hide their curls,
whilst I cry in agony for my curls to be laid like everybody else’s.
The curly coiled strands of hair as soft as can be
Might often be tumultuous trouble,
but in its natural state true beauty can be seen.
To the curly coiled strands of hair as soft as can be;
I love each tiny curl with all my heart,
please never change or be like the rest, oh so pretty you are.
Indigo Mays (she/her) is a high school junior and an aspiring journalist with an interest in the law. She has found her voice through writing and loves to share her work with others.
📸 Featured Image: Original photo by marianarodr/Nappy.co; editing by Emerald team.
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