Anita S. Pulier

Shampoo
by
Anita S. Pulier

I am stuck in the shampoo aisle.
The aisle is Olympic in size.

I read the promises on the labels
oily hair, curly hair, dry hair,
split ends, frizzy hair, all promising
transformation, one into the other.

Oh! How clearly I recall the girl
who believed these labels,
trusted them, allowed her frizzy mane
to be offered up as a willing sacrifice.

And then I met you
and somewhere along the way
I switched to shampoo
that made no promises.

Shampoo for normal regular
whatever is on your head hair.
Now, so many shampoos
later, as I suds up

my hair curls in gratitude
to whatever it was that you saw
so many years ago
when you decided to stay.

© by Anita S. Pulier.


Anita S. Pulier is a graduate of New York University and New York Law School. After many years of practicing law in New York and New Jersey, she has served for the past several years as a U.S. representative for the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom at the United Nations. Anita's poems have been published both online and in print; her chapbook, Perfect Diet, was recently released by Finishing Line Press. Anita lives between New York City and Los Angeles; learn more about her at http://www.psymeet.com/anitaspulier/.