Benny’s Back Yard Barbershop
The barber Benny Buzzcut has
a barbershop at home.
He’s always in the back yard with
his scissors and his comb.
You’re sure to get a stylish cut
that’s fabulous and fun.
He’ll offer you an afro,
or a mohawk or a bun.
His pompadours are popular.
His bowl cuts can’t be beat.
His fades are so fantastic
people line up down the street.
The line can stretch for miles because
his haircuts are so great
that people come from far away
and gladly stand and wait.
So, if you need a haircut now
you know just where to go.
But bring a snack and water
since the line moves kind of slow.
You’ll also want a folding chair,
and bring a book or two.
Then settle in and wait
in Benny’s back yard Barber-queue.
— Kenn Nesbitt
Copyright © 2026. All Rights Reserved.
Reading Level: Grade 3
Topics: Poems about Kooky Characters, Seasonal Poems
Poetic Techniques: Alliteration, Assonance, Descriptive Poems, Imagery, Pun Poems
Word Count: 140
About This Poem
I wrote this poem because I’m due for a haircut next week, and I have reached that awkward stage where my hair feels just a little too long. It’s not quite wild enough to be a problem, but it’s long enough that I find myself looking forward to my appointment and wishing it would get here sooner.
At the same time, summer has finally arrived. After months of cool, rainy weather, the idea of spending time outdoors on a warm, sunny day sounded especially appealing. That got me wondering: what if there were a barber who worked outside instead of inside a shop? Before long, I had imagined Benny Buzzcut, a barber who gives haircuts in his back yard and has become so popular that people come from all over to visit him.
As often happens with my poems, I started with a silly idea and then followed it wherever it wanted to go. Along the way, Benny’s little back yard business grew bigger and busier, and the poem eventually found its own amusing ending. I hope you enjoy meeting Benny Buzzcut as much as I enjoyed writing about him.
Oh, and if you liked Benny Buzzcut, here are a few more poems you’re sure to enjoy:
- Dizzy Dottie’s Dog Salon
- I Went to the Barber
- When Harry Had a Haircut
- My Sister Found Some Scissors
- When a Giant Has a Haircut
- I Let My Sister Cut My Hair
Worksheet
Click here for a printable worksheet for this poem
Use This Poem
Would you like to use this poem in your classroom? Would you like permission to reprint, record, recite or broadcast this poem, or set it to music? Please click on one of the following links for permissions and reprint rights information:
