When I was a girl

Pretty was wash and a blowout

Metal hot comb

Holding down your ear

As Miss Paulette caught those edges

Now

A good podcast and a rat tail comb

Take out my braids day

A pile of plastic hair

And my fingers loving my scalp

My natural crown gray and proud for a minute

Wash day

Pre poo shampoo deep conditioner leave-in treatment spray hair oil curl mousse natural

Orange rings of flame

Metal teeth smacking burners

That blue hair grease

And the smell of singed hair on my shoulders

Standing in front of the mirror

As a grown woman

Still combing for pretty