Portrait of Mother: A Morning Routine

Her towel she hangs the door for her hair

For her hair, she towels it, sprays dry with air

For air, she smokes it long stemmed & gold ringed

For heat, she lit the hair, made it curl in short barrels

Hair picked, made thick in Aqua Net and stiff

Oh yes, Aqua Net, its turquoise body, so pretty

For so pretty, she made dust stroke on her face

For so her face, so mine, there see it lace thin

See it blue & rosette, those marks & pecks

Those hair little red lines

Her cheeks, her unsheltered head

St. Charles IL, 1992