QUEENS

 

her flat twist trraveled intricate riffs

patterns crescendoing

at coifed bun crowning her head

                   while #2, 5 train sped to Flatbush

Cornrows careened and navigated tracks through

sister's scalp to Bushwick and Bedstuy

     

4, 3, D L F A C Either way

                   she facing             racing

Uptown downtown

Canarsie Coney Isle Harlem Bronx

Queens she think she the latest in what's hip now

don't know she sporting

 19th century styles from African queens

variations on motherland themes

            where they get their hair did?

she don't know she Shona people of Zimbabawe

Sambura from Kenya

she belong to Bongos of Sudan

Kubas from Zaire

Somali women

who pamper their hair at night

                   induce and enhance their dreams

sleeping propped up on headrest

carved & crafted in mahogany soapstone &

ivory             every hair and hope kept in tact

all               night                  long

 

      from  Kiss It Up To God

 

 

-Nadiene Mozon