Curly Hair. | Teen Ink

Curly Hair.

July 19, 2011
By introducingshelby GOLD, San Diego, California
introducingshelby GOLD, San Diego, California
15 articles 1 photo 139 comments

Favorite Quote:
"People change so you can learn to let go, things go wrong so you can appreciate them when they go right, and things fall apart so better things can fall together."
-Marilyn Monroe


I’ve got curly hair
A little past my chest now.

My curly hair
Comes from a strange mix
Of African-American
And Chinese blood.

I joined the swim team
In the fifth grade.
And the chlorine monster
Ate away at my ends.

I had to cut it.
It was too short,
And bleached and
Dead.

It took about three years
For it to grow.
I’m in ninth grade now.
And it’s a little past my chest.

I straightened my hair
One time, a year later
And everyone said
I looked better.

I straightened my bangs,
Dry and course
For a year and a half
Until I admitted to myself,

That I didn’t even like it.

So why was I doing it?

I cried in the mirror
On a Saturday afternoon
When I realized not even
A flat iron could tame my curls.

I’ve got curly hair.
A little past my chest now.

Girls with straight hair
Use curling irons!
And they want me
To get rid of what I was naturally blessed with?

How messed up is that?

People always tell me
I need to straighten it
I need to get rid of
My bouncy, dark-brown curls.

But what they don’t say
Is that they want me
To look
Just like everyone else.

Why would I want to do that?
Why would I want
To please you?
Someone who doesn’t like me
For what I look like.

HEY! I can’t help it!
But I sure wouldn’t want to change it.
It’s taken my three years and counting
To appreciate what I’ve got.

My curly hair.
A little past my chest now.



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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 4 comments.


on Sep. 27 2011 at 11:02 am
introducingshelby GOLD, San Diego, California
15 articles 1 photo 139 comments

Favorite Quote:
"People change so you can learn to let go, things go wrong so you can appreciate them when they go right, and things fall apart so better things can fall together."
-Marilyn Monroe

Yeah. I've heard that too.

Shelby A. said...
on Aug. 8 2011 at 8:56 pm

Thanks :D

Rock on, man.


on Aug. 7 2011 at 9:59 am
maggie.ramone BRONZE, Bubblegum World, Mississippi
3 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
" Don't carry life. Let life, carry you."
- Me

i personally think that curly hair is sexy

on Jul. 26 2011 at 11:56 am
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

Awesomeness!!!! This was a pleasure to read, as Boo would say, do your dance, Capitan.