Tornado warning

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The weatherman warns
stay away from water.
All day the clouds shroud
in a way I had not considered
before I dyed
my hair
grey.

My head blends into land, water, sky
swathed in its uniform grey,
blue-grey, green-grey. Sky
churns, grumbles, low
clouds fill Scotch
Point for the
day.

I consider rowing the boat into the morning,
the possibility of disappearing, capsized
by a gust just before a lightening flash
and struck, skitter over the lake’s
thin surface, dead.
The search party
fails.

If I had not gone grey would they have
seen my brown head bobbing? I
made myself invisible not thinking
it dangerous to needle a middle
finger at those who need me
youthful and relevant, but
honestly? The truth’s
revolting.

In a grey balm I listen to the wind
for a change, settle
in a sway bottomed
chair, girding for
the approach
of a new
age.

15 thoughts on “Tornado warning”

  1. I like the poem. Well, done! But the died grey hair line grabbed me. I’ve been dying or bleaching my hair since I was 18. Grey isn’t the color I was avoiding. Dull mouse-brown, ugh! And as my grey takes over it is still the even darker mousiness I hate. So I will continue with the lighter blondes until the dark ickies are gone. I go through six weeks or more between colorings and sometimes I just cut it down to a couple inches and in a month I’m back to coloring. I think I’m addicted!

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    • I really did dye my hair grey as a way to avoid the awkward growing out of my natural colour. To do that, the hair stylist had to first bleach the old colour, which was a caramel brown, and then colour it grey. I knew this was possible because i’ve noticed lots of young folks – I mean really young, like in their 20’s – had dyed their hair silver. anyway, its taken about 4 visits and 4 very short cuts to get it to the point where it is now mostly my natural colour – grey with bits of brown. I’m okay with it but it definitely changes people’s perceptions of me. I’m happy not to have to spend time and money on the hair colouring process now. And truly happy with the way I look. Good luck to you, Dar. And there are worse addictions than colouring your hair that’s for sure.

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      • I’m so glad you got the color you are happy with. I may be right behind, who knows? We just have to enjoy ourselves. Grey is a great color and the hair is thicker as the deposits of color leave the hair shaft, so are the bleached hairs. So the newer texture is fun, too. I used to be a cosmetologist and miss it so I’m my only client. At least I’m not standing all day.

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  3. Honestly you have so much scope in your writing repertoire. I love this. You have taken me on a giddying roller-coaster this week and I’m not ready for the ride to stop!

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    • Hey! WElcome back, Pauline. I guess this means your computer is fixed? Yes, the greying has been an “interesting” experience. Sometimes its useful to be invisible but other times I find I’m practically jumping up and down to get the attention of sales clerks or the young’uns I work with who occasionally talk over me. Grrr.

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      • Thank you – yes I’m back and on the ball! 🙂 I found the response to becoming grey really interesting – invisible and when not possibly stupid…. I experienced on many occasions that I would ask the clerk a question and the reply would be delivered to my daughter. I’ve also noticed that as I have become more okay with the colour of my hair that phenomenon has either lessened or perhaps bothers me less. It’s an interesting little peek into what it might be like living with racial prejudice!

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