THE END OF PERMANENTS

Baby boomers watched their mamas
head for the beauty shops.
They emerged with ammonia emissions
and tight little curly crops.

The smell was too much for daddies to bear.
Some of them slept on the sofa.
And though they said nothing, they thought to themselves
“She looks worse than a terrified gopher.”

I sat in church, close to the back
and saw a sea of curly heads.
They all looked alike and they all looked bad.
I felt depressed and filled with dread.

The solid rule was that after thirty
they had to “look their age.”
So they cut their hair and had it curled.
I only hoped it was a phase.

I decided right then and I decided right there
I would never give in to their rule.
I would let my hair grow long and straight
and I would be old and cool.