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Poet's Choice

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When we get there our hair must be long so that they recognize us.

Our hair is our dress.

It is our adornment.

We make sure it is long so they recognize us.

"Long Hair" is followed in the book by a poem that demonstrates the way culture is always mixed, in motion rather than static. It is part of the poet's art to convey that assured fluidity in a few phrases. The first image epitomizes the compression of poetry, of how much it can do in a breath:

Hairpins

They glitter like broken glass on black asphalt.

Dime store hairpins of clear plastic, rhinestones, glass diamonds, and multi-colored aluminum strips.

Little hairpins, plastic combs all placed at intervals around her hair.

They glisten, sparkle, throwing light all around her,

giving her a halo.

It is the rhythms and textures of human speech that incorporate asphalt, plastic and aluminum into the religious and cultural meaning of the hair. Rhythm and a sexy, casual syncretism of culture are explicit themes in another poem:

Waila Music

It is 1:30 A.M.

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