My Fight With Barbie - a body image poem

Hi, I'm Sara!

My Fight with Barbie was inspired by a 14 year old play therapy client and the book, Body Burden, written by Stacey Handler, granddaughter of Ruth Handler, the creator of the original Barbie doll. It also reminded me of my high school experience and how I felt like I longed for toned, tight abs like Twiggy, and disliked my soft belly.

Poems give us permission to explore our feelings about things we are too afraid to say out loud.

My Fight With Barbie

Barbie and I had a fight last night...

She is tired of being silent

But thinks admiration ain't so bad.

Me, I am tired of being compared

to her too perfect, hourglass figure

impossible to replicate.

So I fall short, where she soars.

Still, I think I prefer to keep my voice

Instead of being plastic, silenced.

(c) Sara Minges, Salon II, 2014