Hair Flowers Poem, 1877

The poem, "Hair Flowers," by Mrs. S.A. Wachter of Frederick, of Maryland, written February 14, 1877, and published in the April 26, 1877 edition of the Catoctin Clarion, a Mechanicstown, Maryland newspaper, beautifully articulates the role of hairwork in the late 19th century as a material language of sentiment and memory.

Furthermore, the lines, "Nor yet would we forget the one / Who skilfully has wrought / This hair, and wove it into flowers / Dear Emily, we'll forget you not," are a clear acknowledgment of the proficiency, artistry, and labor demonstrated by the women who endeavored in this art form.

HAIR FLOWERS.

BY MRS. S. A. WACHTER, FREDERICK, MD.

[The following lines were written by request, on Hair Flowers which were skilfully wrought and beautifully arranged by Mrs. Emily Anders.]

These beauteous flowers composed of hair,
Once beautified the head;
Of some, perhaps, who calmly sleep
Among the silent dead.

Yes, here is one of silver sheen,
Which tells of age and care;
The snows of many winters fell
Upon this silver hair.

This silver tress for many years
Laid on a forehead fair;
In fancy I her form now see,
It is my mother’s hair.

And here is one of snowy white,
Which shaded eyes now dim,
It is a lock of father’s hair.—
It looks so much like him.

And here is one of softest brown;
The head ’twas taken from
No longer shelters ’neath the roof
Of a parental home.

He left the lov’d ones, sought a home
Beneath a western sky,
Yes, often those we love the most,
To them we say “Good Bye.”

This flower once formed a beauteous curl,
A curl of dark, dark brown;
The head on which it lightly waved,
Now wears a shining crown.

In years gone by this one was black,
Now slightly tinged with gray;
Dear Brother Thomas, ’tis his hair,
For him I’ll always pray.

Here’s one of texture soft and fine,
Of bright and sunny hue;
Dear Belle, this once adorned her head,
Dear girl, may “God bless you!”

And here is one of different shade
Ettie, it looks like you:
The language of my heart’s the same,
Dear girl, may “God bless you.”

Nor yet would we forget the one
Who skilfully has wrought
This hair, and wove it into flowers,
Dear Emily, we’ll forget you not.

In this collection we behold
Tresses from many a head:
Some to a foreign land have gone,
Some slumber with the dead.

We view these woven flowers of hair
Until dear forms arise;
Their looks, and tones, and memorys throng,
Till pearly tears bedim our eyes.

These relics are to memory dear;
They have a magic power,
Which to the heart as fondly clings,
As perfume to the flower.

Frederick, Md., Feb. 14, 1877.

© 2025 Diane Irby. All rights reserved. This content may not be copied or distributed without written permission from the author.
To cite this essay:
Irby, Diane. “The Price of Memory: Hairwork Wages for Women in 1893.” Victorian Hairwork by dirby.art (victorianhairwork.art), November 2025. https://www.victorianhairwork.art/journal-research/hair-flowers-poem-1877.

Bibliography:
Wachter, Mrs. S. A. “Hair Flowers.” Catoctin Clarion (Mechanicstown, MD), April 26, 1877. Selected Poetry.