In celebration of the seventies and the Afro hairdo that rocked the world and left us memories and hope for perseverance. Adwoa Badoe
I saw the scorpion in his hole
He was jet black
His eyes were proud
Beneath the sky his heart was humble
Though he had God as his father
And Earth as his mother
And brothers and sisters
To comb the tangles of his hair
Drip oil to the roots, massage the scalp
Anoint him with fragrance of myrrh and aloe
It was the hair that grew and grew
Rapunzel’s ladder from earth to heaven
Black from the roots, tense and coiled
Which he shaped with his fingers
Into a heavenly globe
Once for earth, twice for the sun,
Three times for the new moon
Which traveled with him
And gave him eyes to see
Lineages of princes with stand-up hair
Full colour visions of empire and grandeur
Women with bounty from top to bottom
Gold chains, gold bracelets, gold rings and bling
On dessert rocks and damp rainforests
And coastal sands washed by wind and surf
A high sting raised in power salute
“Say it loud
I’m black and proud.”
Hair! Always a powerful symbol. From Samson and Delilah's time to ours... well at least the 70s. It was the symbol of so much positive energy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the poem.
Hair! And none so interesting as Sub-Saharan tightly coiled hair and the politics of race, place, position, style and big business.
ReplyDeleteAdwoa, I love the great imagery. Then again you have such a commanding way with words.
ReplyDeleteWell written. :o))
Aww, thanks Kiru. I am so pleased to have you read and comment. Blogging can be so lonely sometimes :-)
ReplyDelete