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Viviscal hair growth disappointed customer

Unlike most other animals
Homo sapiens resorts to an array
regularly donning her/
himself with garish attire
plus a dollop
of heavily scented cologne
upon handing a bouquet
to their equally groomed
and primped counterpart,
who underwent makeover
for special occasion
no matter their outing
at McDonalds cafe
nevertheless delicious
cheaply tricked out date
eager to meet supertramp
appears as dainty appetizer,
draped like a dozen roses
yet inaccessible courtesy
surrounded by a wild plant
encapsulated by many sharp points
each a significant poisonous briar
similarly when mating
a mayhem of male
peacocks or peafowl display
a fantastical fantail if put to song
would be an uplifting choir
and analogous to mating call of the wild
this naked ape (of course fully clothed)
envisioning ushering memorable occasion
and letting myself vocalize hooray.

With all due respect
to the purported
positive personal testimony,
I a married, Caucasian, dystopian,
latitudinarian, nonestablishmentarian,
omnivarian, proletarian Pennsylvanian,
sexagenarian, solitudinarian, and Unitarian air
my grievance after
as a buyer beware
sought after image
of absolute zero sought after result
guaranteed distress and wrought despair
“videbere” “to see” + “licet”
natural growth of abundant hair
into a lush profusion even after
last red cent spent,
and uttering a wing and prayer
the measly keratinous filaments
growing from a follicle quite disappointing
cuz I expected to glance
at reflection in the mirror
and behold tresses ample
as Bon Jovi sported
during his days as a badass
rock n roll ever
able, eager, ready, and willing
player for prime time,
whose sleekly buffed muscular built
a most definite drawer
even regarding product endorsements
to pose in his underwear
as opposed to me
a veritable aging pencil neck geek,
who on January thirteenth
will celebrate his sixty eighth year
despite defying conventionality,
and essentially belying the aging process
experience body dysmorphia
aside from leaving
straggly strands self evident
this Samson wannabe can attest
he can no longer be a viable contestant
cause yours truly no longer blessed
with luscious wavy tresses and dressed
as if he stepped out
of a nineteen eighties band
and spent hours
in front of a looking glance
to guarantee each strand
appeared properly finessed
(versus favoring the heady
March wind blown look nowadays)
without being combed nor brushed
and less often washed
and feels hard-pressed
to live (yes suicidal ideation rooted)
within my once upon a time
profuse locks of love,
which approximately twelve inches
got lopped off donated
on two separate
occasions decades apart
and said serious
mental health issue
yours truly - me doth not jest
and during salad days of mine lest
thee prescription medication
assuages one modest
humble baby boomer obsessed
with vital ropy hair
and when this poet
of Perkiomen Valley
doth take his eternal rest
he will pass thee
electric kool aid acid test
and would be
able, eager, ready
and willing to present himself
at a Philadelphia volksvest
or anyplace else
within this webbed wide world.

About This Poem

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Direction: What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft

About the Author

Region, Country: PA, USA

Favorite Poets: Robert Burns, Charles Dickens, Robert Frost, Matthew Scott Harris, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Sylvia Plath, Gary Snyder, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman

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Comments

neopoet

neopoet

1 month 1 week ago

Neopoet AI [2025-04]

The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:

This poem offers a richly detailed and candid exploration of personal experience, cultural observation, and emotional complexity. The extended metaphor comparing human grooming and courtship rituals to animal displays is evocative, though at times the imagery becomes dense and could benefit from more focused clarity. The juxtaposition of the natural and artificial—garish attire, scented cologne, and commercial hair growth products—underscores the tension between appearance and authenticity.

The poem’s narrative voice is distinctive, blending humor, frustration, and vulnerability, especially in the second half where the speaker’s disappointment with Viviscal and the impact of aging hair loss are laid bare. The use of long, flowing lines and enjambment mirrors the speaker’s stream of consciousness but occasionally challenges readability; consider varying line length or introducing more deliberate pauses to enhance pacing and emphasis.

The inclusion of Latin roots (“videbere” + “licet”) and references to cultural icons like Bon Jovi enrich the texture but might interrupt the poem’s emotional flow for some readers. Reflect on whether these elements serve the poem’s core themes or if their integration could be more seamless.

The poem’s candidness about mental health and body image adds depth and urgency, though the shift into these heavier themes could be more gradual to maintain tonal balance. The closing image of passing the “electric kool aid acid test” and presenting oneself at a “Philadelphia volksvest” is intriguing but somewhat cryptic; clarifying or contextualizing these references could strengthen the poem’s conclusion.

Overall, the poem’s ambition and raw honesty are compelling. Refining structural elements and sharpening imagery will help the emotional resonance land more powerfully with readers.

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