My Mother's Hair

My mother got her hair done

every single Friday all her life

before going

to the Beth Israel Synagogue Center

where her hair as well as the hair

of all other women there

entirely immobile,

half a can of hairspray

guaranteed no stray locks.

Hers was a black helmet

most of her life, battened down

with scotch tape

on both sides at night

to preserve the Elizabeth Taylor look.

She would not ever wear a hair net

because hair nets were for old ladies

and she was never that.