*

Our poet Michael Coles writes: “This poem was written in response to Marge Piercy’s Barbie Doll, a beautifully written piece of feminist literature from 1971. Piercy’s poetry inspires many women and still upholds modern feminist ideals. Barbie Doll details experiences such as bullying and body dysmorphia, both of which I have struggled with, and which most if not all women have struggled with as well. The assignment that prompted me to write this poem was to write a poem as if attending the funeral of the narrator from the Barbie Doll poem. It is crucial that all women across the world are reminded how truly unique and beautiful they are, and that beauty standards are nothing, but a social construct made to empower men and weaken women. You are gorgeous and perfect exactly as you are, no matter your size or shape, no matter the color of your skin, no matter what.”

Mournful

An untimely death
Her presence will be missed,
Preceded by many—
And in my heart, preceded by all.
Her upturned nose,
Which before was wider and flatter,
Still contained bruises
Barely peeking through warm-toned foundation.
She had often frowned in bathroom mirrors
As strangers smiled at her,
Charmed by her unique looks.
Her legs, covered by a beautiful silk nightgown.
In life, they worked hard to support her body,
Bigger to have more to work with,
To get her from here to there to over yonder,
To help her run in flower fields
And to jump into warm ocean,
Now forever still and hidden.
She wore long, cover-up skirts to the beach
Blushing with embarrassment and hiding her legs,
While her friends were jealous of her full figure.
A beautiful woman lay in the casket before me
But she was hiding in the shell of a Barbie doll.
To no woman a happy ending.

— Michael Coles

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