This poem was inspired by a conversation that two of my friends had after one cut her locks. Sam had been growing her hair for about 5 years and felt that she wanted a change – she also commented that the locks were not the size that she wanted and I believe she will regrow them so she can get them how she wants. After her hair was cut, the locks are in a bag in her drawer. She is not ready to throw them out. My other friend Adrian said that when he cut his locks he kept them for years before he was ready to get rid of them. Knowing how sacred and treasured their locks were, I was inspired to write this piece.
I’ve decided to call it TRIBUTE, since I really wanted to pay tribute to the sacrifice and decision to cut the locs – I recognize that history has weaved itself through each strand of hair, and separating from that is not to be taken lightly.
For those who read this who have locks – did I (a bald-head *grin*) get this right? I wanted to commemorate this event’s significance. I hope it gives justice.
UPDATE – When I was looking for art to place in my post I found the picture below. It was awesome… but then I read the article that it was attached to! Go and read this – Run-In With a Rasta by LaShonda Cook. For those who wonder about the significance of the locks… Yeah. This article is the shit… Thank you Lashonda for writing such a thought provoking article!
Tribute
Don’t haffi dread to be Rasta
Don’t haffi dread…
This is not a dreadlocks ting
A divine conception of the heart…
Must not
be easy
D i s c o n –
n e c t i n g
from h i s
t o r y
his story
her story
hear story
f l o w i n g
g o i n g
g r o w i n g
d o w n
from crown
towards the
g r o u n d
K n o w i n g
Experiences
s e e p i n g
through skin
T h o u g h t s
c r e e p i n g
t h r o u g h
c r a n i a l
passages
e t e r n a l
messages
consecrated
celebrated
liberated
l e s s o n s
extended
interlocking
reasoning
t w i s t i n g
w e a v i n g
m a t t e d
m e n t a l i t y
p l a i t e d
philosophy
k n o t t e d
knowledge
S N I P
P E
D
k
n o t
e a s i l y
severed.
D i s c on
n e c t ed.
S e p a r
a t e d
C u l t u r e
c l i p p e d
b u t n o t
discarded
treasured
Commem
o r a t e d
consecra
t e d
Ancest
o r s’
p a t h
V e n e r
a t e d
Not cut for
n a u g h t.
R e s u r r e
c t e d.
B e g i n n i n g
A g a i n.
Cover of Don't Haffi Dread
Contributed to D’verse Poetry Pub for Open Link Night
Passion's Pleasure 
I loved it! A tad bit difficult to read the way you typed it but when words and sentences are figured out you def did the experience justice!
x
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Posted by Nekisha CD Lewis | January 10, 2012, 7:52 PMThanks Nikki …. the form is deliberately thin and long to represent a single hair, with a break between ‘knowledge’ and ‘Not’ to represent the cutting. 🙂
Am so glad you liked it!
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 10, 2012, 8:09 PMwow love the response in this…the flow is wicked…and so much to be said in hair for sure…nicely played…
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Posted by brian miller | January 10, 2012, 8:26 PMThanks Brian 🙂 I may even do a video or soundcloud clip of the piece being performed…. Gotta get to learning it!
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:55 AMlove how you structured this one – how the words narrow out – the images addictive and the wording – the poem pulls you along – nice job! saw it up on dVerse. OT
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Posted by Ostensible Truth (OT) | January 10, 2012, 8:28 PMThanks OT 🙂 Now to learn it so that I can perform it on stage 🙂
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:55 AMgreat…think locks are really more than just a style to wear the hair…it’s much, much deeper and you captured it well..and love the closure with the begin again…
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Posted by claudia | January 10, 2012, 9:05 PMAgreed on that, Claudia … attached a link as an update. The link is to a blog post that mirrors how I feel about locks and about their significance; I found the article when looking for artwork for the blog. So there’s a new pic up too 🙂
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:54 AMLove the structure. Not just the verses but when individual words started spacing out. Add in a fantastic rhythm and this poem it pretty great right here.
Also as someone who hasn’t cut my hair in six years, this did hit a spot with me.
Excellent work here. And many thanks for visiting my blog.
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Posted by skyraftwanderer | January 10, 2012, 9:17 PMActually it is written specifically to be performed as a spoken word piece, so I’m glad that you picked up on the rhythm… 🙂
You haven’t cut your hair in six years! Wow …. 🙂 Keep on going!
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:52 AMAhhhhh, got you!! Agree with Claudia. Ended perfectly.
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Posted by Nekisha CD Lewis | January 10, 2012, 9:36 PMClever and brilliant! I love how you formed this as elongated like hair flowing…
d
o
w
n
NICE!!!!!
http://magicinthebackyard.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/nightlights/
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Posted by Kellie Elmore | January 10, 2012, 9:51 PMThanks Kellie! Yeah the elongated words served the purpose of trying to keep each individual line the same width to more accurately show the strand of hair going down until I intentionally broke it… 🙂
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:53 AMClever piece, nicely penned!
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Posted by ayala | January 10, 2012, 10:10 PMThanks Ayala!
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:51 AMWonderful! You’ve captured it perfectly. Not long ago I buzzed all my hair and bleached it blonde…SHOCK! A whole new me 🙂 I have never missed anything so terribly in my whole life! I was disconnected, not myself, …as for a title..Scalped? Letting Go? Divided Self? Over Exposed…my goodness we could go anywhere with this!
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Posted by tashtoo | January 10, 2012, 10:59 PMLOL … I honestly was thinking about Tribute or Dedication … because I really wanted to show how it was a sacred act – some people I know have grown their hair until a certain vow or promise has been fulfilled – sorta like the Nazarites in the Bible… but there is so much history and experience that grows out, symbolized through the locks, that cutting them is a serious thing. I felt the reason why my friends kept their hair and couldn’t get rid of it, and I wanted to honour that, even though I haven’t grown out my own (yet…)
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:50 AMFlow great from start to finish, who knew hair could bring about such a verse, nicely done.
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Posted by Pat Hatt | January 10, 2012, 11:07 PMThank you kind sir!
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:48 AMI liked it very much!
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Posted by LediaR | January 11, 2012, 1:43 AMThanks sooo much! I’m glad you did! 🙂
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:47 AMThe good thing about hair is that it will grow back! I always remind myself of this when I think I want to shorten it and end up hating it.
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Posted by Laurie Kolp | January 11, 2012, 3:37 AMLOL yeah that’s so true Laurie! 😀
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 3:47 AMGreat post! I have a new page because of personal reasons. Please feel free to follow me again at my new url http://tigersgroves.wordpress.com I’m hoping to see you on my list soon. Thanks!
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Posted by Heather Whitley Gibson | January 11, 2012, 6:31 PMOn my way! 😀
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Posted by bajanpoet | January 11, 2012, 6:36 PMha. i remember this one…nice concrete image of a dread within it…
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Posted by brian miller | February 26, 2012, 2:45 AMThose were some long locks! I liked the form and thought it worked well with your them, the words flowing down untangled;-)
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Posted by Blue Flute | February 26, 2012, 2:48 AMThanks, Blue 🙂 Was an experiment – glad to see it worked 😀
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Posted by bajanpoet | February 26, 2012, 3:26 AMI like it. And love knowing the form is a strain of hair.
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Posted by oceangirl | February 26, 2012, 3:22 AMThanks so much, oceangirl 😀
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Posted by bajanpoet | February 26, 2012, 3:27 AMSo glad you commented on the shape of your poem…a sculpture in its own right.
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Posted by Victoria C. Slotto | February 26, 2012, 4:33 AMThanks Victoria 🙂
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Posted by bajanpoet | February 27, 2012, 2:36 AMWow! This is my first time reading “Tribute.” Thanks so much for the shoutout. Absolutely love the poem!
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Posted by lcooksmarketer1 | June 8, 2012, 3:16 PMAnd thanks so much for being you! From the time I met u on that blog post, I was following you 🙂 (Albeit from a respectful distance!) 😀 Glad you liked the poem!
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Posted by bajanpoet | June 8, 2012, 3:19 PMHaha. Following, not in a creepy way, but in a “I support you” way. Gotcha. 🙂
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Posted by lcooksmarketer1 | June 9, 2012, 4:16 PMInteresting piece, I liked it and the construction or formation of it was cool and effective. Well written.
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Posted by Kim or Lisa | November 4, 2012, 7:09 PMThanks sooo much Kim 🙂
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Posted by bajanpoet | November 7, 2012, 8:30 PM