STRAND
First I found it in the dishwasher
coiled around the soap dispenser lid
I pinched it and lifted moved it to the garbage can
rubbed my fingers together overtop the bag
It landed on the edge
where it held center like an undecided seesaw
I left it to the breeze of our bodies
I suspect my neglect is how it got out
Next thing I knew
it was snaked on the side of the milk carton
My daughter was the only witness
Did you pick it off I asked No she answered
‘cause my Krispies were gettin’ soggy
Hair was living the good life now
the sneaky night life
Next morning I saw it again
balled up on the heel of my sock
making love to a piece of lint
A promiscuous little ass he is
Yes Hair is a he
An egalitarian! Abolisher of gender roles!
That’s why he went hugging that brush
on the bottom of the vacuum
My mother told us vacuums could chop off your toes
but Hair handled my Hoover just fine
This strand did his part and captured his weight in dust
took the dog for a walk
hitched a ride on the saggy skin
that hangs from Happy’s upper lip
Until I pulled, that is
Happy chomped at the stringy sensation
tongue lapping at the unseen
Those two were playing and didn’t even know it
After that I carried Hair to the forest floor
planted him just under the decomposing bark
When we left the dog’s tail waved goodbye
Right now I bet Hair is grinning
holding together the branches of a robin’s nest or
sun bathing on a bed of
newly sprouted grass
Every once in a while
I think I spot him twirling around in the pasta
Well hi little trickster I say
Except it can’t be him can’t be my guy
I cook with my braids tied back
Still I tickle the visitors when they come
flick them up and away wish them well
send them along in the company
of my microscopic fingerprint
In the beginning God knew
it wasn’t good for hair to be alone
What beautiful thing ever grew
apart from another thing
Cyndie Randall holds a BA in Creative Writing/Poetry and an MA in Counseling. She works as a therapist and lives in Michigan on land that once belonged to the Potawatomi people. Her words have appeared or are forthcoming in Love’s Executive Order, Boston Accent Lit, The Manifest-Station, Yes Poetry, Mojave Heart Review, Barren Magazine, and elsewhere. You can connect with Cyndie on Twitter @CyndieRandall or at cyndierandall.com.