Just One Thing with Avery Yoder-Wells

Photo of Avery Yoder-Wells

Avery Yoder Wells’ poem “Benediction and #4 Clippers” takes us into an “omelet-bright barbershop” and the power of a haircut to affirm identity. Here they share just one thing about the piece:

“I didn’t know when I wrote this, but that haircut would be the last I got at that barbershop. They’d cut my hair for years, and given me my first real short haircut when I was twelve. They also gave an unfortunate attempt the previous year, and I discovered that I look pretty bad with a bob cut. My friends still call that the Lord Farquaad era. My fault, though. I knew what cut I really wanted, but I didn’t have the words.

The shop’s a traditional joint, playing semi-conservative TV, and my hairdresser always needed me to say, “go shorter.” My barber now is nonbinary, like me, and understands that I’m looking for buzzed sides and a little sweep of the bangs. So, this poem is old, but I’m glad I have this snapshot of my last visit, which featured a song I misheard and some good apple donuts and once again, a haircut. I’m still grateful to the people in that barbershop, though they might never understand why any of those made me write a poem afterwards.”