March 2026 SOLC–Day 14
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org
I stepped toward the bathroom sink to wash my hands, glancing into the mirror.
Wait! What was that!?
I stopped in my tracks. Then I stepped closer to the mirror, tilting my head from side to side, peering closely.
Ack! Sure enough! There it was! Planted on my chin like some sort of renegade celebratory flag. A long thin chin hair!!! How had this one escaped my notice? How long had it been growing? Why had no one mentioned it!?
I grasped the offensive invader between my finger tips, and tugged. I felt a vicious satisfaction at the small pinch of pain as it yielded the field. Victory!
Just yesterday I’d commented on Amy’s blog (Writing With Abandon) that I could relate to her comment about chin hairs. I’d added that I’d recently written in my notebook, “I wish I had the tenacity of chin hair.” Because really, what is as tenacious as chin hair?
I remember a friend telling me quite a long time ago, “Once you hit 35, you’ll start growing hairs in all sorts of unusual places.”
I remember scoffing at the idea. Until I didn’t.
Now, I religiously check my chin each morning, searching out these villanous strands of keratin and removing them with grim satisfaction.
Thinking of all of this reminded me of a poem I wrote long ago, and I thought I’d resurrect it again–kind of like those chin hairs keep resurrecting! When I went searching for it, I found another one that I’d totally forgotten about. Who knew I was so inspired by chin hair? I’m sharing both because, clearly chin hair is worth writing about! lol
One of life’s pressing questions…
Who is more persistent:
The thick, black hair
reappearing
firmly rooted
in the softening skin
on the left side of my chin
or I
who wield
the tweezers
victoriously
again and again?
©Molly Hogan
The Battle
There once was a hair on my chin
undetected when first it grew in
I noticed it there
Adrift in the air
And plucked it with shame and chagrin.
I’ve heard in some far-away places
women cherish the hair on their faces
But I can’t sport a ‘stache
with elan or panache
I vow to remove any traces.
Another one grew on my cheek.
(It happened in less than a week!)
I pulled that one too
without great ado
But with a full bellicose shriek.
Each day my reflection as mirrored
Shows renegade hairs have appeared
My expression is grim
As I tweeze and I trim
Not resigned to displaying a beard.
My tweezers flash bright through the air
Extracting each invading hair
There is not a thing cute
’bout my face so hirsute
I battle with growing despair.
I continue the gods to implore
to vanquish these whiskers galore
They’re more apt to dispatch
A peach-fuzzy soul patch
I win battles but never the war.
Molly Hogan
This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Linda Baie at Teacher Dance.
Nix the comfort zone 
I can totally relate and at 63 it is never just one hair I spy and attack…
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No, sadly, they seem to come in packs! Stealthy little buggers!
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from Linda Mitchell: “Ha! The best way to battle chin hair must be humor. I love your take on this ridiculous consequence of aging. I am also amused and horrified at what the body does when it reaches certain ages. Well done…from winning the tweezer game to your bellicose shriek!”
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Thanks, Linda! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. If you don’t laugh, you’re crying, right? lol
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simply perfect! live a good live that captures tough problems, battles. chin hairs and I have gone to war at times. I actually keep a pair of tweezers in my bag bc car lighting is often better to find those pesky hairs. Nothing like a stop light pluck. This one had me smiling and now I’m off to check my chin.
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Some angel put a pair of tweezers in the staff bathroom! Bless them!
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Ah, just the moment I needed this morning – your poem and your whole post make me feel seen – – such a comforting reminder that I’m not the only one who can find what seems like a foot long chin hair that wasn’t there an hour ago. How do they grow that fast? My money is on you – – you and your tweezers are for sure the most tenacious.
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Foot long–ha! It is astonishing how quickly they retake claimed territory though!
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Molly, you captured my attention from the beginning lines. I thank you for adding fun to chin hair that annoys me every day. One day I found a long black one hanging like you did. Immediately, I pulled my friendly tweezer and tried to grab it but the hair was stubborn. I finally won the war so I thank you for being so honest and realistic about this morning routine.
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Some of them are seriously rooted! Glad you vanquished yours 🙂
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Okay, this is so delightful. You’ve written TWO chin hair poems? Love it. Really appreciate how one is looser and free form, and one more structured. Chin hairs can make us feel both ways! You’ve captured so much here — tenacity, our Western shame with body hair, humor, etc — just great.
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Thanks! I’m so glad you enjoyed the contrast between the poems. I couldn’t believe that I’d totally forgotten about writing one of them!
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Oh, Molly, I am so glad that you posted these, wishing I had them long ago, too. Yikes, those unwanted things surprise in the most undesirable moments! I love “My tweezers flash bright through the air”, like a knight in a fight! Happy weekend!
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I was trying to think of how to get a sword wielding image in there–I’m glad it sort of came through for you!
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I’ll be doing a thorough chin check today! 🤣
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It’s evolved to a more than once a day thing for me. Any time I’m in front of a mirror, I give a quick check. Ugh…
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I loooove these poems. The rhyming one had me laughing! Winning the battles but never the war — sigh!
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It is a bit discouraging, so you might as well have a little fun with it! Thanks for inspiring me!
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What a great laugh this morning!
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I’m glad these made you laugh, Leigh. Between the state of the world and the state of my class, I’m making a deliberate attempt to go light whenever I can!
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Oh, Molly, you made me laugh, nod, shake my head, agree, and laugh again. As with so many things about aging, if we don’t laugh, we’ll keep battling with growing despair. 😀
Rather than “long live” let’s toast: “Forever die, chin hairs!”
Thanks, Molly!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed these, Karen! It’s nice to know we’re not alone, right?
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You’ve got me snickering and snorting…not a good look when holed up in the library using the free internet because our power’s out from yesterday’s wind…
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I got quite an image there! lol
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Bravo! For winning the hair battles. Bravo! For writing such a brilliant limerack. (Can we call limeracks brilliant?) So very timely for this week in March.
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I love limericks, but I hadn’t even thought of the Saint Patrick’s Day connection. You had me scratching my head for a little bit!
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Such a clever, funny post. You’ve taken an annoyance that every woman over a certain age struggles with and created some unforgettable verse. I’m still laughing!
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I’m so glad these tickled your funny bone. 🙂
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These poems were a welcome dose of humor. Bravo. Good luck with the “war”!
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I just finished engaging in another battle. Sigh…
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Love, love, love your poem. The battle is real. At least writing is one war you can win. 🙂
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Thanks! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
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Now we know where the real fairy tale came from, ‘Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin!’ My mom in her 80s just used an electric razor and shaved her entire chin. I’m still tweezer plucking. Crazy!
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Ha! “Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin!” I hadn’t made that connection before!
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2 amazing chin hair poems! Just think, you might write a who collection of chin hair poems (or other poems on the perils of aging). I think you have an audience!
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I think I might have run the well dry on chin poems, but never say never!
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LOL! — and a battle I, too, refuse to concede!
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