My hair is curly now.
I’ve been told it’s probably from the kids—
That your hair changes nearly every 7 years.
So suddenly it transformed and felt like my entire appearance followed.
It’s no longer straight or predictable,
Easily maintained,
Hardly disturbed by sleep,
Tossed up into a sleek ponytail I pull over my shoulder—
It’s wild and wavy and nearly untamable at times.
I have to shop for hair products now and you know how much I hate doing that.
A lifetime of loving that straight hair just so it could rebel,
curl up and stick out from my head like it’s trying to spite me.
As though I had been caring for it wrong this whole time.
Why am I telling you this?
Well, every now and then when I miss my old self
I find the time to will it back again.
A few stubborn waves still linger and
for a second I look like how you might remember me now—
straight-haired and reprehensible.
But I’m also saying that it’s been years since you’ve looked at me,
because my hair has changed and
it feels odd to suddenly outgrow a memory and wear my curly hair out
like a disguise.