clippers, scissors, & razor blades 
the smell of alcohol &
cologne

i am a fly on the wall & 
these Black men feel like
home

today’s topic is fatherhood &
how papas rolled away like
stones

i sit in my barber’s chair &
witness Black boys actin’
grown

straight edges line stories &
define a strength that stands
alone

tales turned to sermons &
Black men rise to their
thrones

laughter, music & truth
as seeds of self-love are
sewn

i am a fly on the wall &
these Black men are my
home