Barbie (For Claude) When Claude bought his house, His wife had room to unpack Her collection of Barbie dolls, And I tried to imagine them In their infinite, pink variety. Not just plastic, model-slim, Rodeo Drive Barbie’s, But real life Barbie’s, With other possibilities. Soccer mom Barbie With her SUV and a stack Of good report cards. Trailer trash Barbie With a few extra pounds, A broken tooth, And screaming, plastic kids. Dumb as dirt Barbie With her jaw hung low. Kept woman Barbie With lots of jewelry, And a half dead rich guy To play with In a tiny wheel chair (Sold separately.) And then I got creative. Barbie in her 80’s With an accessory botox kit, Barbie with her own tanning box, And Barbie with tattoos And little piercings Not suitable for children Under eight. Anchor woman Barbie In her TV studio, Her face and make-up melting Under the little hot lights. Third World Barbie, Complete with little sacks of meal And kids that would fit In your pocket. Fitness Barbie, Gleaming and wet From her exertions. Of course there were Barbie the doctor Barbie the lawyer Senator Barbie Barbie the corporate CEO With her tiny Leer Jet And all the feminist promises Of power and style. Barbie the bowler, Barbie the figure skater Miss America cheerleader Barbie Barbie the movie star Barbie the cowgirl Barbie the lesbian. Amputee Barbie Acne Barbie, With a jar Of Barbie cream. Barbie the bag lady With tiny dirty socks. Barbie the prison inmate Barbie the virgin Barbie the wife Barbie the mother Barbie the adultress Barbie the whore Complete with little Anatomically correct Sex toys. Barbie the hairless cancer patient With wigs like thimbles. Barbie on a mortician’s slab Barbie the surfer Barbie the nudist Sold without accessories Except for tiny flip flops And a purple mask. And I thought to myself Who is Barbie anyway? Is Barbie a soldier Returned from war Struggling to fit in? Why does she smile No matter what? Barbie the waitress With a tiny four a.m. alarm And sturdy shoes. Barbie strung out on meth. Barbie in drag Lady Macbeth Barbie. Why doesn’t Barbie Just slow down? Grandma Barbie With fake teeth Mastectomy Barbie Divorced Barbie Welfare Barbie Battered Barbie. First Lady Barbie, Radical Barbie, Realtor Barbie. Junior High Barbie, Dressed like An overstuffed sausage. Hairless Barbie Jungle Barbie Taliban Barbie The Widow Barbie. Morning-after Barbie. Barbie with too many choices. Barbie with no choice at all. Like a matryoshka doll, Dreams nesting inside dreams, Barbie unveils herself, Smiling, Smooth, Hard.
Jun 30 2011 Filed in: Jims Poems
Barbie
When Claude bought his house,
His wife had room to unpack
Her collection of Barbie dolls,
And I tried to imagine them
In their infinite, pink variety.
Not just plastic, model-slim,
Rodeo Drive Barbie’s,
But real life Barbie’s,
With other possibilities.
Soccer mom Barbie
With her SUV and a stack
Of good report cards.
Trailer trash Barbie
With a few extra pounds,
A broken tooth,
And screaming, plastic kids.
Dumb as dirt Barbie
With her jaw hung low.
Kept woman Barbie
With lots of jewelry,
And a half dead rich guy
To play with
In a tiny wheel chair
(Sold separately.)
And then I got creative.
Barbie in her 80’s
With an accessory botox kit,
Barbie with her own tanning box,
And Barbie with tattoos
And little piercings
Not suitable for children
Under eight.
Anchor woman Barbie
In her TV studio,
Her face and make-up melting
Under the little hot lights.
Third World Barbie,
Complete with little sacks of meal
And kids that would fit
In your pocket.
Fitness Barbie,
Gleaming and wet
From her exertions.
Of course there were
Barbie the doctor
Barbie the lawyer
Senator Barbie
Barbie the corporate CEO
With her tiny Leer Jet
And all the feminist promises
Of power and style.
Barbie the bowler,
Barbie the figure skater
Miss America cheerleader Barbie
Barbie the movie star
Barbie the cowgirl
Barbie the lesbian.
Amputee Barbie
Acne Barbie,
With a jar
Of Barbie cream.
Barbie the bag lady
With tiny dirty socks.
Barbie the prison inmate
Barbie the virgin
Barbie the wife
Barbie the mother
Barbie the adultress
Barbie the whore
Complete with little
Anatomically correct
Sex toys.
Barbie the hairless cancer patient
With wigs like thimbles.
Barbie on a mortician’s slab
Barbie the surfer
Barbie the nudist
Sold without accessories
Except for tiny flip flops
And a purple mask.
And I thought to myself
Who is Barbie anyway?
Is Barbie a soldier
Returned from war
Struggling to fit in?
Why does she smile
No matter what?
Barbie the waitress
With a tiny four a.m. alarm
And sturdy shoes.
Barbie strung out on meth.
Barbie in drag
Lady Macbeth Barbie.
Why doesn’t Barbie
Just slow down?
Grandma Barbie
With fake teeth
Mastectomy Barbie
Divorced Barbie
Welfare Barbie
Battered Barbie.
First Lady Barbie,
Radical Barbie,
Realtor Barbie.
Junior High Barbie,
Dressed like
An overstuffed sausage.
Hairless Barbie
Jungle Barbie
Taliban Barbie
The Widow Barbie.
Morning-after Barbie.
Barbie with too many choices.
Barbie with no choice at all.
Like a matryoshka doll,
Dreams nesting inside dreams,
Barbie unveils herself,
Smiling,
Smooth,
Hard.
When Claude bought his house,
His wife had room to unpack
Her collection of Barbie dolls,
And I tried to imagine them
In their infinite, pink variety.
Not just plastic, model-slim,
Rodeo Drive Barbie’s,
But real life Barbie’s,
With other possibilities.
Soccer mom Barbie
With her SUV and a stack
Of good report cards.
Trailer trash Barbie
With a few extra pounds,
A broken tooth,
And screaming, plastic kids.
Dumb as dirt Barbie
With her jaw hung low.
Kept woman Barbie
With lots of jewelry,
And a half dead rich guy
To play with
In a tiny wheel chair
(Sold separately.)
And then I got creative.
Barbie in her 80’s
With an accessory botox kit,
Barbie with her own tanning box,
And Barbie with tattoos
And little piercings
Not suitable for children
Under eight.
Anchor woman Barbie
In her TV studio,
Her face and make-up melting
Under the little hot lights.
Third World Barbie,
Complete with little sacks of meal
And kids that would fit
In your pocket.
Fitness Barbie,
Gleaming and wet
From her exertions.
Of course there were
Barbie the doctor
Barbie the lawyer
Senator Barbie
Barbie the corporate CEO
With her tiny Leer Jet
And all the feminist promises
Of power and style.
Barbie the bowler,
Barbie the figure skater
Miss America cheerleader Barbie
Barbie the movie star
Barbie the cowgirl
Barbie the lesbian.
Amputee Barbie
Acne Barbie,
With a jar
Of Barbie cream.
Barbie the bag lady
With tiny dirty socks.
Barbie the prison inmate
Barbie the virgin
Barbie the wife
Barbie the mother
Barbie the adultress
Barbie the whore
Complete with little
Anatomically correct
Sex toys.
Barbie the hairless cancer patient
With wigs like thimbles.
Barbie on a mortician’s slab
Barbie the surfer
Barbie the nudist
Sold without accessories
Except for tiny flip flops
And a purple mask.
And I thought to myself
Who is Barbie anyway?
Is Barbie a soldier
Returned from war
Struggling to fit in?
Why does she smile
No matter what?
Barbie the waitress
With a tiny four a.m. alarm
And sturdy shoes.
Barbie strung out on meth.
Barbie in drag
Lady Macbeth Barbie.
Why doesn’t Barbie
Just slow down?
Grandma Barbie
With fake teeth
Mastectomy Barbie
Divorced Barbie
Welfare Barbie
Battered Barbie.
First Lady Barbie,
Radical Barbie,
Realtor Barbie.
Junior High Barbie,
Dressed like
An overstuffed sausage.
Hairless Barbie
Jungle Barbie
Taliban Barbie
The Widow Barbie.
Morning-after Barbie.
Barbie with too many choices.
Barbie with no choice at all.
Like a matryoshka doll,
Dreams nesting inside dreams,
Barbie unveils herself,
Smiling,
Smooth,
Hard.
When Claude bought his house,
His wife had room to unpack
Her collection of Barbie dolls,
And I tried to imagine them
In their infinite, pink variety.
Not just plastic, model-slim,
Rodeo Drive Barbie’s,
But real life Barbie’s,
With other possibilities.
Soccer mom Barbie
With her SUV and a stack
Of good report cards.
Trailer trash Barbie
With a few extra pounds,
A broken tooth,
And screaming, plastic kids.
Dumb as dirt Barbie
With her jaw hung low.
Kept woman Barbie
With lots of jewelry,
And a half dead rich guy
To play with
In a tiny wheel chair
(Sold separately.)
And then I got creative.
Barbie in her 80’s
With an accessory botox kit,
Barbie with her own tanning box,
And Barbie with tattoos
And little piercings
Not suitable for children
Under eight.
Anchor woman Barbie
In her TV studio,
Her face and make-up melting
Under the little hot lights.
Third World Barbie,
Complete with little sacks of meal
And kids that would fit
In your pocket.
Fitness Barbie,
Gleaming and wet
From her exertions.
Of course there were
Barbie the doctor
Barbie the lawyer
Senator Barbie
Barbie the corporate CEO
With her tiny Leer Jet
And all the feminist promises
Of power and style.
Barbie the bowler,
Barbie the figure skater
Miss America cheerleader Barbie
Barbie the movie star
Barbie the cowgirl
Barbie the lesbian.
Amputee Barbie
Acne Barbie,
With a jar
Of Barbie cream.
Barbie the bag lady
With tiny dirty socks.
Barbie the prison inmate
Barbie the virgin
Barbie the wife
Barbie the mother
Barbie the adultress
Barbie the whore
Complete with little
Anatomically correct
Sex toys.
Barbie the hairless cancer patient
With wigs like thimbles.
Barbie on a mortician’s slab
Barbie the surfer
Barbie the nudist
Sold without accessories
Except for tiny flip flops
And a purple mask.
And I thought to myself
Who is Barbie anyway?
Is Barbie a soldier
Returned from war
Struggling to fit in?
Why does she smile
No matter what?
Barbie the waitress
With a tiny four a.m. alarm
And sturdy shoes.
Barbie strung out on meth.
Barbie in drag
Lady Macbeth Barbie.
Why doesn’t Barbie
Just slow down?
Grandma Barbie
With fake teeth
Mastectomy Barbie
Divorced Barbie
Welfare Barbie
Battered Barbie.
First Lady Barbie,
Radical Barbie,
Realtor Barbie.
Junior High Barbie,
Dressed like
An overstuffed sausage.
Hairless Barbie
Jungle Barbie
Taliban Barbie
The Widow Barbie.
Morning-after Barbie.
Barbie with too many choices.
Barbie with no choice at all.
Like a matryoshka doll,
Dreams nesting inside dreams,
Barbie unveils herself,
Smiling,
Smooth,
Hard.
When Claude bought his house,
His wife had room to unpack
Her collection of Barbie dolls,
And I tried to imagine them
In their infinite, pink variety.
Not just plastic, model-slim,
Rodeo Drive Barbie’s,
But real life Barbie’s,
With other possibilities.
Soccer mom Barbie
With her SUV and a stack
Of good report cards.
Trailer trash Barbie
With a few extra pounds,
A broken tooth,
And screaming, plastic kids.
Dumb as dirt Barbie
With her jaw hung low.
Kept woman Barbie
With lots of jewelry,
And a half dead rich guy
To play with
In a tiny wheel chair
(Sold separately.)
And then I got creative.
Barbie in her 80’s
With an accessory botox kit,
Barbie with her own tanning box,
And Barbie with tattoos
And little piercings
Not suitable for children
Under eight.
Anchor woman Barbie
In her TV studio,
Her face and make-up melting
Under the little hot lights.
Third World Barbie,
Complete with little sacks of meal
And kids that would fit
In your pocket.
Fitness Barbie,
Gleaming and wet
From her exertions.
Of course there were
Barbie the doctor
Barbie the lawyer
Senator Barbie
Barbie the corporate CEO
With her tiny Leer Jet
And all the feminist promises
Of power and style.
Barbie the bowler,
Barbie the figure skater
Miss America cheerleader Barbie
Barbie the movie star
Barbie the cowgirl
Barbie the lesbian.
Amputee Barbie
Acne Barbie,
With a jar
Of Barbie cream.
Barbie the bag lady
With tiny dirty socks.
Barbie the prison inmate
Barbie the virgin
Barbie the wife
Barbie the mother
Barbie the adultress
Barbie the whore
Complete with little
Anatomically correct
Sex toys.
Barbie the hairless cancer patient
With wigs like thimbles.
Barbie on a mortician’s slab
Barbie the surfer
Barbie the nudist
Sold without accessories
Except for tiny flip flops
And a purple mask.
And I thought to myself
Who is Barbie anyway?
Is Barbie a soldier
Returned from war
Struggling to fit in?
Why does she smile
No matter what?
Barbie the waitress
With a tiny four a.m. alarm
And sturdy shoes.
Barbie strung out on meth.
Barbie in drag
Lady Macbeth Barbie.
Why doesn’t Barbie
Just slow down?
Grandma Barbie
With fake teeth
Mastectomy Barbie
Divorced Barbie
Welfare Barbie
Battered Barbie.
First Lady Barbie,
Radical Barbie,
Realtor Barbie.
Junior High Barbie,
Dressed like
An overstuffed sausage.
Hairless Barbie
Jungle Barbie
Taliban Barbie
The Widow Barbie.
Morning-after Barbie.
Barbie with too many choices.
Barbie with no choice at all.
Like a matryoshka doll,
Dreams nesting inside dreams,
Barbie unveils herself,
Smiling,
Smooth,
Hard.