• Home
  • About
  • Reflections
  • Poetry
    • My Poems
    • Guest Poets
    • Selected Poems
    • Classic Poets
    • Classic Love Poems
    • Zen Poetry, Haiku, and Wisdom
  • Essays
  • Inspiration
    • Love
    • Mandalas and More
    • Native Voices
    • Petals of Sunshine
    • Positive Reinforcement
    • Videos to Inspire and Motivate
  • Quotes
    • Flowers and Gardens
    • Native American Wisdom
    • Peaceful Thoughts
  • Guestbook
  • Sitemap

Inspiration for the Spirit

A lovely place to wander for poetry and inspiration to soothe the soul

Home ▷ Selected Poems ▷ Combing

Combing

by Gladys Cardiff

"Indian Woman Braiding Girl's Hair" by Lilla Cabot Perry, c.1910

click to enlarge

Bending, I bow my head
and lay my hands upon
her hair, combing, and think
how women do this for
each other. My daughter’s hair
curls against the comb,
wet and fragrant—orange
parings. Her face, downcast,
is quiet for one so young.

I take her place. Beneath
my mother’s hands I feel
the braids drawn up tight
as piano wires and singing,
vinegar-rinsed. Sitting
before the oven I hear
the orange coils tick
the early hour before school.

She combed her grandmother
Mathilda’s hair using
a comb made out of bone.
Mathilda rocked her oak wood
chair, her face downcast,
intent on tearing rags
in strips to braid a cotton
rug from bits of orange
and brown. A simple act
Preparing hair. Something
women do for each other,
plaiting the generations.

Copyright © 1976 by Gladys Cardiff. Selection from “To Frighten a Storm,” Copper Canyon Press, 1976.
Painting: “Indian Woman Braiding Girl’s Hair”; by Lilla Cabot Perry, circa 1910.

You might also like

Medicine Wheel

Native American Prayers

The First Strawberry: A Cherokee Legend

Twyla

Filed under Native American.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

The Poetry Pages

My Poems
Guest Poets
Selected Poems
Classic Poets
Classic Love Poems
Zen Poetry, Haiku, and Wisdom

Featured Poem

When I Smile Again

by Lasca Nuala Reed

“I wrote this poem for my father. I recently saw him after about 10 years of absence and he did nothing but glare at me. I thought maybe now that I am 22 years old he would make an effort to get to ... Read more

Random Poems

unhappy girl
walking in the rain
fractured woman

Explore and Enjoy

aging anger autumn being female cancer children comfort & compassion death divorce empty nest family father flowers & gardens friends & friendship grief & sadness happiness hope & optimism illness inner peace inspiring life & living loneliness love love lost loving yourself mandala marriage mindful living mother motherhood music Native American nature people places poetry & writing positive attitude quotes relationships sex & sexuality simplicity solitude spirit spring winter

Looking for a specific poet or author?

Inspiration for the Spirit EST 2002 • Copyright © 2025 Patricia Petro • LOGIN

»
«