Modern Salon
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

God Went to Beauty School

During a week of bad news, reading this poem was a bright, beautiful spot.

Anne Moratto
Anne MorattoDirector of Brand Content Strategy, MODERN SALON and NAILS
Read Anne's Posts
April 17, 2013
2 min to read


Newberry Medalist Cynthia Rylant has written many much-loved children's books.  Her collection of poems, "God Went to Beauty School" includes this sweet take on God choosing to be a manicurist because He likes hands.

Whether or not you believe in a God (or Supreme Being or Great Spirit or Higher Power), in the middle of a week with dark, sad news, this lovely poem offers us a moment to pause and remember that the world is a beautiful place. Keep doing what you do, beauty pros. The world is a better place because you went to beauty school.

Ad Loading...


God Went to Beauty School

  by Cynthia Rylant

 He went there to learn how

to give a good perm

and ended up just crazy

Ad Loading...

about nails

so He opened up His own shop.

"Nails by Jim" He called it.

He was afraid to call it

Nails by God.

Ad Loading...

He was sure people would

think He was being

disrespectful and using

His own name in vain

and nobody would tip.

Ad Loading...

He got into nails, of course,

because He'd always loved

hands--

hands were some of the best things

He'd ever done

Ad Loading...

and this way He could just

hold one in His

and admire those delicate

bones just above the knuckles,

delicate as birds' wings,

Ad Loading...

and after He'd done that

awhile,

He could paint all the nails

any color He wanted,

then say,

Ad Loading...

"Beautiful,"

and mean it.

More In The Know

Ad Loading...
A man cuts a man's hair
In The Know|Articles|Aug 6, 2026

In Dubai, Clients Visit the Salon Every Week. Here’s What That Market Can Teach You

In Dubai, a salon visit isn’t an appointment. It’s a weekly routine, and clients can spend $800 to $1,400 a month on it, according to Gaurav Tripathi of MADI International. On October 6-8, 2026, the market behind those numbers opens its doors as Beautyworld Dubai marks its 30th edition at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together distributors, brands, stylists and salon owners from all over the world.

Sponsored by BeautyWorld Dubai

Ad Loading...
A woman with long brown hair, a black sleeveless blouse, and a beaded headband.
In The Know|Articles|Jul 2, 2026

Mireya Villarreal Announces From Chair to Boss Live, a New Business Education Event for Beauty Professionals

Mireya Villarreal, founder of From Chair to Boss™, is bringing together beauty industry leaders for a new one-day educational event designed to help salon professionals strengthen the business side of their careers. From Chair to Boss Live! will take place September 28 at the Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Ad Loading...