“You have to wear a hat
with the eyebrows still showing,” she said;
so I pulled up my cap
and immediately felt
more handsome than any reflection of mine
could compliment me on.
Of course, the hat was my façade,
a little extra make-up
executed to conceal insecurities,
a cover-up foundation of green material,
designed to turn the ordinary wearer
into something resembling fashion.
Of course, I wore a beanie hat
years before it became fashionable to do so,
to keep the rain from off my head.
You see, I can’t stand carrying umbrellas.