Wednesday 7 November 2018


Beauty Parlour

by Lynn White


Step inside my parlour,
my pampering parlour. 
You will be remade, reborn,
stroked and smoothed,
petted and prodded,
cosseted and curled,
given the attention you deserve
as well as a new face
and shiny new hair.

In Pampers Parlour we’ll recreate you.
We’ll reboot your confidence
and give you a new chemistry
as we gloss your hair and lips.
As we shape your face
with new shadows and glows.
As we apply layer upon layer
of chemical shit topped by
nose retching fragrances.
You won’t know yourself when 
you step outside 
dolled up to perfection,
protected in your new mask.

And what then?
Will you go home 
and comb it all out
and wash it all off,
preferring, 
after all, 
the person,
with the old skin
and fresh air colour
to the new robotic doll.
The pampers product is 
designed to be disposable, 
after all.

Or will you keep it 
as long as you can.
Try not to move your new face.
Try not to upset your new hair.
Place a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign
on your forehead.
Keep it as long as you can.
Even if stinky and crusty,
you’ll still have your face on.
You feel 
so bland,
so pale,
so wan,
exposed
without it
on the journey back
to the beauty parlour.


* * * * *

"Beauty Parlous" was first published in Weasel Press, Anthology of the Mad Ones, Feb 2016.

Lynn White lives in north Wales. Her work is influenced by issues of social justice and events, places and people she has known or imagined. She is especially interested in exploring the boundaries of dream, fantasy and reality. Her poem 'A Rose For Gaza' was shortlisted for the Theatre Cloud 'War Poetry for Today' competition. This and many other poems, have been widely published in anthologies and journals such as  Vagabond Press, Apogee, Firewords, Indie Soleil, Light Journal and Snapdragon.

No comments:

Post a Comment