Learn to Love What you Have

And it may grow into what you love

“Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you, and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too.” ― Will Smith

“You know, some people say life is short and that you could get hit by a bus at any moment and that you have to live each day like it’s your last. Bullshit. Life is long. You’re probably not gonna get hit by a bus. And you’re gonna have to live with the choices you make for the next fifty years.” — Chris Rock

“Here’s the thing, men have to also mature in how they see women, too. Because they need to understand that it’s not just about how we look, it’s about who we are. And I am going to tell you like this, ‘If you can’t love me with short hair, and you telling me I got to have long hair to be loved, guess what, I ain’t the one for you.’” — Jada Pinkett Smith

“I don’t know what my calling is, but I want to be here for a bigger reason. I strive to be like the greatest people who have ever lived.” — Will Smith

“The thing that surprised me the most is just how much money women that weren’t rich were paying for their hair. When you’re in a beauty parlor in Harlem next to abandoned buildings and somebody’s paying five grand for a weave, that’s a bit much.” — Chris Rock

Alopecia haunts me now Didn’t know that fancy word Until Will Smith slapped The comedian’s big mouth

No, don’t get me wrong I still have enough hair To brag until I turn my back To show the golf ball on the grass A dull halo Of a perching skullcap On a young Turk A shy moon on a dark sky

No, I am not the story here A day after the Oscar Night slap Our Jada decided To make good her threats Off to the barber, she went And returned clean A new egg head A daring smile On the lips of a stranger

My usual sense of humor Took a commercial break Neither for short hair on women Nor for a clean skull on men Not even when I assumed I was being set up For an avoidable sparring session An urgent training in the debate For gender peace advocacy

It’s her hair, not mine Nobody can decide for her Or anyone else Her choice I respect My trap I shut As I have no Chris Rock To beat up and shout at Or to show my reading Of the rolled eyes

Nor am I expected To defend her honor Or her person Against verbal abuse

Now Her Honor is a redhead Chestnut-brown tinged red For the hot Martian embers I have fire dousing skills And fire prevention expertise Learned and upgraded Over the two decades Of helping to groom the hair Without having it burnt

I wish the long strands Were brought home to me — A souvenir or compensation prize As a help in unfamiliar terrain Where I assume Everything is inflammable And where I stay real calm Practicing my breathing exercises Recalling warped Stoic principles — Learn to love what you have And it may grow into what you love Literally, in this instance

I am rather overcompensating For the crimes of my ancestors Who had women shave the heads To mourn their men But the men would keep theirs When they lose their women A silly thought, Since none is dead here Or maybe what we’ve now Could be a preview copy of sorts

A sillier thought crosses the mind Go out and return a skinhead To join whatever the protest Some esprit de corps tagging To get back at someone Have them embarrassed Since unlike them you have no wigs Or hats or any headcovers in the closet

But come on, think of it: A man who was a Comedian Plays the boxing Champion Then plays a tennis Coach Maybe there’s some connection In swinging at another Comedian To show he’s come full circle

Let there be peace in Ukraine OU042022