Climb the staircase of the outside fire escape
The only way to reach Margaret’s salon she ran out of her top floor flat kitchen 
Widows entertained with tea and gossip as cats clambered over their chairs 
taking residence on their laps 
Enjoying the company whilst having their fortnightly blue rinse 
 
Mum went to Margaret 
Her mum went to Margaret
Her mum went to Margaret 
 
Hair as tradition
Hair as family
Hair as company 
Hair as uncanny 
Hair as scary 
 
School holidays, I went with Mum to Margaret’s
Hundreds of Victorian dolls staring at me 
as I waited alone in Margaret’s living room 
but I often had my cat Toby with me to keep me company

Upstairs, it was reported that an elderly woman died alone in her flat and was found weeks later half eaten by her cats
I remember seeing the news on the front page 
of the local South London paper 
Headline reading ‘WOMAN FOUND EATEN BY CATS’ 
Imagine me reading that aged 5!