Poem: “From the Head to the Hair”

Nina Foushee, 17
Arizona

From the head to the hair -- upon your leaving
When the chemo came like winter
Hands would come rake you up
Take you away from me
Without you who shelter
it is always too cold
Or too hot
Hats are not the same
They come and go
And I never grow
attached

There is a civil war
in this fragile country of blood and bone
Flesh and disaster
All inhabitants
Are mutating towards dysfunction
And I stay
Today I stay
there are always casualties
in every war
I miss you
And the strands of your being