Hi, I’m twelve years old,
and my hair was long and kinky
My Momma’s comb she used on me,
was really small and dinky
Momma really hated to comb,
through my long and kinky hair
She told me Blacks have bad hair,
and for us it just ain’t fair
A hot comb she would use,
to make my hair real straight
But Momma said it’s time,
to make a hair perm date
I thought it to myself,
I hope it won’t hurt and burn
Cuz I heard that this would happen,
which caused me much concern
“This perm would be my first step,
to start my passage,” momma said
“No more hot combs and burning hair,
or greased hot fried up head”
Momma told me she don’t wanna be,
embarrassed by her nappy head kid
And the time for my nappy head,
was definitely time for her to rid
The day had come for our trip,
so off to the shop we went
The owner beacon for me to come over,
but my face showed fear and torment
“Now don’t you worry baby,“
the owner said with a smile
“My hair was thick and messed up,
just like yours is for a while”
“We gonna make sure you look pretty,
just you wait and see”
“We’ll give you a perm that will do this,
and it’ll be done in just a breeze
As she started to rub that cold cream,
into my awaiting hair
I couldn’t help notice her thin hair,
as I sat upon the chair
I thought to myself,
it won’t hurt at all
To get her hair combed,
if her comb is too small
She covered my hair,
with cream and stepped out
At first it was fine,
then the pain hit my scalp
The pain it grew sharper,
like needles in my hair
I started tap’n my feet,
grab’n hard to the chair
As it burned on my scalp,
I felt like screaming and leaving
One lady said it’s working,
when it burns it’s straightening is achieving
But my head was hurting real bad,
and was dizzy from the chemical fumes
I couldn’t stop the tears,
nor get’n dizzy in the room
She came and said to me,
“ that’s the price you pay for beauty”
“And soon you will learn this,
that it’s every young girl’s duty”
Priestess Jywanza ~)o(~
10-27-01
