1. on top of my head lives a bird’s nest

2. it wasn’t always there

3. when i was little, my mother loved my hair

4. she loved it because it was long and curly
while hers was short and straight

5. she would brush it and brush it
and brush it some more

6. until it was nice and poofy

7. and the
finishing touch
was always a
big bow
that sat
right
on
top
pot
no
thgir
tas taht
wob gib
a syawla saw
hcuot gnihsinfi
eht dna

8. but unlike my mother, I
always hated my curly hair

9. i hated it so much,
i would pull it back in ponytails so tight my
head would hurt

10. strangely enough my ponytails hurt my mother a lot more than me

11. “katie, wear your hair down”
she would plead

12. and as i grew up,
she wasn’t the only one

13. when you never
wear your hair
down
people start to
notice

14. it becomes an insatiable curiosity

15. “do you ever wear your hair down?”
they ask
and ask
and ask

16. no.
you answer
time and time again

17. but you can only say ‘no’ so many times
before you cave

18. and unleash your frizz
on the world

19. when you do
it’s hard to deny
you absolutely
and completely love
the feeling

20. of your hair blowing in the wind
curls bouncing on your shoulders

21. and just as you are vowing to never return to the confines of your hairband

22. you look in the mirror

23. and swiftly sweep up the disaster

24. into a compact little bird’s nest
on top of your head.

25. sorry mom.