Jennie E. Owen

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I can’t stop looking at the naked
shape of his head. Ghosts
of curls collect in his
collar. For a moment I think I can see
the outline of the man he will become,
in the twist of his mouth as he concentrates
on the scissors snick of his reflection.
I hold my breath, all the time
trying not to grab handfuls of cuttings,
to fill my pockets with blond.

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Jennie E. Owen’s writing has been widely published online, in literary journals and anthologies. She teaches Creative Writing for The Open University and lives in Lancashire with her husband and three children. She is a PhD student at Manchester Metropolitan University, focusing on poetry and place.