Wednesday, June 16, 2010

wild hare


Tufts of hairy crabweed
sprout from my temples
like crazy hemp
in the rabbit hole
of an all day tea party.

I happen to descend
from a whole line
of fertile Mad Hatters,
resistant to most sanity.

My forebears flattened
theirs in Brylcreem
with results even Bonaparte
would envy.

The edges stuck out
from my father’s flattop
and grew to a hedge maze
that hid him from me,
like a mock turtle.



willow, 2010


48 comments:

  1. Love the pun and the stubborn nature images. Natural is best?

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  2. Paul, I agree, in most cases natural is best, but I have these crazy tufts of crabgrass hair at the temples, that runs in my family, among other things.

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  3. And my hair is flat as a flitter (need to look up the history of that phrase!). However, this does not mean that a bit of Mad Hatter doesn't lurk in my genes!

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  4. A beautiful and rather mystical poem, I loved the imagery and the characterisation. This was a delight to read, Willow :)

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  5. Crabgrass hair is like having new baby hair always growing in. Constantly rejuvenating the hair on the head. Pretty good.

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  6. Beautifully done. I love the crazy hemp.

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  7. What a great little poem! I love that. Just be glad you have a lot of hair--mine is so fine and thin that I always say I live in--not a bad hair day, but a bad hair life.

    Johnny was classic as the Mad Hatter, wasn't he!

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  8. Love him in any shape, form or crazy get up. I have not seen that movie yet, but will soon. Quite a unique poem.Love your willow piece from the previous post too.
    QMM

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  9. (Mad as a)March hare in June 'resistant to most sanity'. Oh yes! Plenty of recognition there.
    Poor Dad. Bad hair days every day.

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  10. There is something painful in reading about the mock turtle...

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  11. I must say, I have so much fun here. Love the poem. My daughter and I do not have even a slight wave in our hair. Hers won't even take a curl. I spent so much money in the '80's on perms...ugh. Always wanted a head full of curls.

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  12. I don't have any crabgrass hairs but I used to get my flat top hair cut by a Japanese barber once each week in our headquarters building in Japan. He did it with scissors. Nary a hair out of line or place. LOL

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  13. A great poem on an unlikely topic and Johnny as well, what more can we ask?

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  14. another wonderful word picture - loved this Willow :)

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  15. Tufts of hairy crabweedsprout from my templeslike crazy hempin the rabbit holeof an all day tea party.

    Loved it!

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  16. The detail, diction, and quiet humor in your poetry is lovely. I look forward to reading every one of your poems. This one, a delight. (paired with the picture, even more so!)

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  17. What a fun read! I will reflect upon it when I have my next bad hair day, which will probably be tomorrow.

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  18. Love the hair analog! It can be the most stubborn stuff in the universe. I have a persistent wave and flip that I abhor.

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  19. Wonderful whimsy! Mr. Depp makes a great muse.

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  20. COMBO-SPECIAL: mad hatter AND johnny depp!!

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  21. Betsy, yep, Brylcreem made a comeback!

    Bryl-creem, a little dab'll do ya,
    Use more, only if you dare,
    But watch out,
    The gals will all pursue ya,--
    They'll love to put their fingers through your hair.
    Bryl-creem, a little dab'll do ya,
    Bryl-creem, you'll look so debonair.
    Bryl-creem, the gals will all pursue ya,
    They'll love to RUN their fingers through your hair.

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  22. Love the words, Willow. Slippery like the rabbit tunnel. How perfect was Johnny in that role? He made me see the character with fresh eyes. Your Blog is looking so elegant. xx

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  23. Hair,hare,here.
    That is terrific writing. Someone is going to give you a great opportunity, I feel it.
    You have so much talent.


    yvonne

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  24. Why is it that as gray grows in it becomes UNRULY? That is my "tufts" that cause problems!

    Love the poem.

    We just purchased this movie...I am eager to have a look at it.

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  25. I love the poignancy that Depp bought to the role of the Mad Hatter.Ah Johnny...*sigh*.

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  26. Johnny Depp meets Vivienne Westwood. Oh to have been Alice.

    Bisou, Cro.

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  27. I love these funny poems...it just kills me, when my youngest son Jeremy, now 25, let his hair grow out for Locks For Love a couple of years ago, he had the most incredible natural curls. The women were always so envious. I have to pay a darn fortune for mine!

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  28. "Resistant to sanity" reminds me of a favorite uncle. Great line.

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  29. So many people seem dissatisfied with their hair, Willow, making the curly straight or vice versa. I'd be pleased just to have a little more!

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  30. Well, even hair flattened by Brylcream (or dippity-doo) is natural, right? I mean, hair goo is made here on earth, applied by the human hand, yes?

    I love hair products. Without them, I would be just well scary.

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  31. Love the imagery with allusion to Lewis Carroll's world. But my own hair problems come to mind since I have "Indian" hair. The only natural part is straight down the middle.

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  32. Willow: You got me going!Are you saying that the "crabweedsprout" at the temples like "crazy hemp" in the rabbit hole "on an all day tea party"Ok...it is partially the madhatters fault you know! Tweedle dee dee! Couldn't be further from the truth! Those hares are just multiplying reminders of ancestral brilliance so close to the limits of here and there that the lines become blurred; indistinguishable to all madhats that do not matter. Genius has a price. You found it. Those bothersome hairs! (Hares?)... it is often very difficult to distinquish fact from fiction when in Wonderland. Straight our curly. It can be both; wavy is a nice middling ground. A place to hang the hat and those worrisome hairs with a mind of their own! Once the lights are dimmed; or we fade to gray or white; whichever comes first; then who is to care about such hairs and sillyness? Love your fun poem; brilliant as usual, Willow! ps: Are we related I got the same thing going on with those "crabweed" hairs sprouted like bad weeds! "Them Badweeds"(who said that?) I think; somebody's poking through the rabbit hole agin; we all have to wonder; whom? Off with their heads! ps I've got to see Alice In Wonderland; oh yes! Is it a good movie? :)

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  33. A beautifully written poem Willow! Really charming!

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  34. This is such a splendid exploration of the VERY unexpected!
    I loved it!

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  35. Johnny Depp...sigh...my Dad was going bald at an early age and had this hair flap that would stand straight up in the updraft when he was getting into the old Oldsmobile...us heathens would crack up every time! Now we identify, as my hair thins and my brother has Grandpa's bald spot...sweet revenge!

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  36. I love this :) Perfect picture too. Johnny Depp was the perfect Mad Hatter.

    My hair tends to be a little on the mad side, no hat necessary!

    Jen

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  37. As always, wonderful writing, Willow.

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  38. This was such a fun and funnypoem..and Johnny is so scary mad
    what more could I ask of the day now?
    thanks

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  39. Thanks gentle readers for your generous comments. Like I always say, it's so much fun to share my stuff with all of you!! xox

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  40. http://itistimetothinkformyself.blogspot.com/2010/06/jingles-june-follower-award-week-2.html

    Happy Friday..
    Thank you for commenting on my magpie tale!

    enjoyed your gift on poetry.

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  41. Holy coincidentals, Batman! (as if)

    Bear and I just watched the Depp-o-lated Alice in Wonderland two nights ago!

    Love,
    love,
    love.

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  42. This is a fine addition to the great canon of 'hare' poems, even if the hare allusion is glancing. Loved it.

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  43. your poetry is imply amazing.how you can think up so many is beyond me.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)