Good Hair, c. 1968
The first time
I winced from
the sting
felt the black
brand
of hot comb
against my
brown skin,
I was five.
I still smell
the scent
and hear
the music
of seared
flesh.
I winced from
the sting
felt the black
brand
of hot comb
against my
brown skin,
I was five.
I still smell
the scent
and hear
the music
of seared
flesh.
Ellen June Wright was born in England of West Indian parents and immigrated to the United
States as a child. She taught high-school language arts in New Jersey for three decades before
retiring. She has consulted on guides for three PBS poetry series. Her work was selected as The
Missouri Review’s Poem of the Week in June 2021. She was a finalist in the Gulf Stream 2020
summer poetry contest and is a founding member of Poets of Color virtual poetry workshop and
received five 2021 Pushcart Prize Nominations for poetry.
States as a child. She taught high-school language arts in New Jersey for three decades before
retiring. She has consulted on guides for three PBS poetry series. Her work was selected as The
Missouri Review’s Poem of the Week in June 2021. She was a finalist in the Gulf Stream 2020
summer poetry contest and is a founding member of Poets of Color virtual poetry workshop and
received five 2021 Pushcart Prize Nominations for poetry.