Olympian's Hair

Hair.

Gabby Douglas 2012

Africa American hair.

Gabby Douglas
wins gold in gymnastics
in the Olympics,

but gets bullied
because of her hair.

The shame.
The taunts.

She's an athlete.
She's an Olympic hero.
She's not a beauty pageant contestant.

It's not fair.
It's just hair.


I'm not black, but I have thick curly hair more suitable for an Afro than a ponytail. In grade school, the bullies called me "Brillo." (It is still painful to remember this.)

I think Gabby Douglas, who is only 16 years old, is both a great athlete and a beautiful young woman. I think her hair style accentuates her beauty.

Don't change a thing, Gabby. Just be your wonderful beautiful self. 

© 2012 Catherine Giordano


2016 Update:  Gabby Douglas brings home gold in Rio in the 2016 Olympics. And they are still complaining about her hair. This time it is her edges--the un-straightened hair near the scalp. Some things never change. Gabby keeps winning, and small-minded people keep gabbing.

Gabby Douglas 2016

Fierce Five on Fire

U.S. Women's Gymnastic Team
Picture Credit: NBC Olympics

The U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team:
Golden.

McKayla nailing an amanar vault.

Golden.

Kyla fighting to hold every swing.

Golden.

Jordan muscling through her routine.

Golden.

Gabby soaring on the uneven bars.

Golden.

Aly giving an exuberant performance.

Golden. 

The team nicknamed “Fierce Five.”

Golden.

The team winning the gold medal.
Golden. 
 
The 2012 woman’s gymnastic team is being called the best team ever.  Their fantastic achievement is all the better when you consider how young they are—they range in age from 15 to 18.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

 

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The Summer Olympics: The Opening Ceremony

London—a city
that knows ceremony—
staged a whimsical
Olympic opening ceremony.

A celebration of creativity,

a celebration of exuberance,
a celebration of generosity,
with an overall air of frivolity.

An extravaganza of contrasts,

fireworks, tributes, music,
honoring tradition,
yet given to irreverence.

The parade of athletes,

the lighting of the caldron,
the Queen declaring open
the Olympic Summer Games.  

The opening ceremony of the Olympic Summer Games in London was a magnificent extravaganza celebrating all things British.  It began with a pastoral tableau that morphed before our eyes into the London of the Industrial Revolution ,and then morphed again into modernity. 

 

This poem does not do it justice.  The ceremonies were dramatic, beautiful, and used technology to the hilt to amaze the audience.  The reporter wrote a boring article, so I didn’t have much to work with. I hope you saw it On TV last night.  No, I hope you saw it in the actual stadium.  I wish that I could have been there.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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