“
Upsherin
He was three when he had his first haircut,
upsherin it is called, from the Yiddish, ‘to shear off’.
Until then the goyim would compliment the boy’s mother
saying, ’What a beautiful girl you have!’
His mom would half-smile to endorse the approval,
avoiding eye contact with the gentile, lest she be
accused of immodesty or, chas v'shalom, flirtation.
His hair was fleeced in a five clear-cut buzzings
like a sheep in a shearing contest at the Iowa State Fair.
Now the boy can look forward to growing his payot,
long sidelocks that hang in curls or ringlets,
which Hashem will use to pull
His righteous sons to Heaven.
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