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Poem by Helên Thomas

Eyewear welcomes Helên Thomas to its pages with open arms, and loud applause, not at the same moment, which would be difficult.

She is one of the UK's very best performance poets - and a witty, crafty, formally inventive writer for the page, as well.

Her work has appeared in a number of anthologies, such as Short Fuse (Rattapallax, New York, 2002). The link below will direct you to some of the things she does:

http://www.creativewomensnetwork.co.uk/CWNWeArePoets.htm


Useless Medusa

Medusa Minutiae: alopecia sufferer,
No fork tongued sizzling serpent scalp for her,
But nano-sized nematodes, slithering unseen.
What use this see-thru swim cap without sheen,
To a mythical snake-hair who’s meant to be mean?

Should she, Medusa shun shampoo or use less,
Hairspray and products; should she brush and mousse less?
So she summoned a stylist: Perseus so called,
Who on reflection claimed he was appalled,
By useless Medusa whose scalp was quite bald.

Percy was scissorless but he was not dismayed,
With his shimmering, talon sharp, shiny new blade,
Determined to snip and trim what simply would not grow:
Medusa’s worm weave with its wriggling go slow,
Received from his salon hands, one final cut and blow.

poem by Helên Thomas
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