Poem 5 of 30 - April 6 - Groom Routine

Groom Routine

I’d never watched my father

get ready for work – never

seen the gleam of Vaseline

or coconut oil anoint the crowns

of his onyx knuckles or backs

of knees – never seen him pick

that afro out tall and smooth it

out with a postcard or pat it down

with a thin-volumed book.

Did he iron before or after

shower? Did shoes go on last

or immediately after trousers?

I hadn’t a clue – so I made

a routine up – trial & error

like I made up how to walk

the streets’ gauntlets, how

to say mornin family

to a sister in the streets,

how to throw a punch

or beg the woman you love

and have disappointed.

But understand that I begin

with the lotion – oil my body

free of the dry ash bequeathed

my blackness – I dollop

the thick green Afro-Sheen

into my palms- rub them

together making a thunder

sounding like wet laundry

and massage the magic into

my hair, my scalp, the rough

wires of sideburns and beard.

I work my wrists in along

the hairline, stroke that shine

in under the eyes, the cheekbones.

I step into trousers, then shoes –

drape myself in necklace or watch

or bracelet, an ironed crisp shirt.

I leave the combing for last,

my hair thick with my father’s

naps, with grease, his not-thereness.

From temples to chin I comb

it through, brush it out, buff

it up – so I look

like him anyway – a man

about to go somewhere

a man – about to make

a choice

To schedule a reading or an appearance please contact Ofer Ziv at Blue Flower Arts at 845-677-8559 or email ofer@blueflowerarts.com. www.facebook.com/rogerbonairagard www.twitter.com/rogerbonair www.cypherbooks.com