Beard Poetry: Joe Cassada

A little about Joe:

“I’m a blissfully married father of three pastoring near Saint Louis, Missouri. I love good coffee, old books, the great outdoors, and all things Spurgeon. Recently, my little girl was hospitalized with pneumonia. During her 6 day stay, my daily routine was shot to pieces, including the shaving o’ the whiskers. After five days of razorlessness, I liked what I saw in the mirror and decided to join the bearded brotherhood. Both my daughter and my beard are doing fine and growing strong.”

Beard Poem

A beard’s (to most) a silly thing -
Just facial hair allowed to cling
Upon its bearer’s face too long.
“’Tis best,” say they, “to shave. C’mon!”With bearded men this hallowed truth
Is known quite well; they swear: “Forsooth!
My beard is not some whiskered shame!
‘Tis crown, and rank, and lion’s mane!”And, would you ask the buck to lop
His antler’s off with chopping block?
Why then the pleas for faces nude,
And not my manliness exude?Did Erikson with bald face sail?
Or Shakespeare take up ink and quill
And write with smooth and beardless grace?
Did Plato teach with shaven face?Did soft-cheeked Leonidas fight
With beardless Spartan manly might?
Or Peter, Paul, and Jesus preach
With hairless, girly, rosy cheeks?I hope you’ve seen o’er time and age
That warrior, preacher, and wise sage
Each one their manliness allowed
To show with beard grown long and proud.Thus I shall keep my face unshorn -
With locks my cheeks and chin adorn.
For bearded face is how God made
This man. So bearded I shall stay.

- Joe Cassada

Beard Poetry: Ian Goldsmith

This poem and artwork was created by the incredible mind and pen of CanYouHandlebar customer, Ian Goldsmith. We have some real talent around here!