Delousing the Kids

This beautiful poem was written by my dear friend, Dayna Patterson, after patiently listening to me whine about our 2010 lice-capade.   It will be published later this year in a chapbook called Mothering.   Dayna has another chapbook that was published recently called Loose Threads that is available for purchase here.   Dayna is the real deal.

Delousing the Kids

For Heather Olson Beal

There is something
indescribably holy
about a father
taking a fine-toothed
nit-comb and
gently, gently
delousing the drooped-
down heads
of his children.

Exuding calm,
he tips their heads
this way, that way,
under the bright
bathroom lights,
rooting out each
coffee-colored
egg, each blood-
seeking monster.

He consoles, No,
you’re not dirty,
just unfortunate.
She washes load
after load of laundry,
bags plush toys,
and pauses often
to witness this
mothering.

;

If you want to hear more about what inspired this beautiful poem, check out Heather’s post today:   An Unlikely Prayer of Thanksgiving.