by Tashari Ferguson
Ekphrasis in reVerse 2020
Do you see me as you look in the mirror? My damp coils fall beautifully on your shoulders The sweet aroma of blueberry lotions and conditioner is the pure bliss that detangles me from the rejection of society It’s ironic how holding your fist high in the eye of the public while having me in my natural state shows how much you love me but behind closed doors you manipulate me When I don’t meet your expectations you interlace me in rows to hide your reality The fantasy of having a different texture can’t always cure your sadness The thick cap engulfs me in a wrath I’m trying to see the beauty of the world but you’re hindering me from freedom Do you understand it’s hard to vitiate your actions?
Do you see me as you look in the mirror? Pieces of me drop to the ground as you try to repair me Let the water hydrate each part of me Saturate my roots with oil and use your fingers to massage the tension away Did you miss me? The towel soaks up my tears but the ends of me are damaged Use the viscous products to make me whole again My damp coils fall beautifully on your shoulders again but this time it’s different The protraction of being free and feeling the breeze as my roots breathe is pleasant and the sun highlights the beauty of my texture It doesn’t matter how many times you try to put me away or cut me I’ll always grow back
But hey, it’s a love hate thing.