Barbie Doll

 By Marge Piercy

1971

This girlchild was born as usual

and presented dolls that did pee-pee

and miniature GE stoves and irons

and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy.

Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said:

"You have a great big nose and fat legs."

She was healthy, tested intelligent,

possessed strong arms and back,

abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity.

She went to and fro apologizing.

Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs

She was advised to play coy,

exhorted to come on hearty,

exercise, diet, smile and wheedle.

Her good nature wore out like a fan belt.

So she cut off her nose and her legs and offered them up.

In the casket displayed on satin she lay

with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on,

a turned-up putty nose, dressed in pink and white nightie.

Doesn't she look pretty? everyone said.

Consummation at last.

To every woman a happy ending.

Marge Piercy is an American activist and writer. Her work focuses on her Jewish heritage, Communist activism, and feminist ideas. Shes written more than seventeen volumes of poems, and fifteen novels. "Barbie Doll" was published during the second wave of feminism in 1971.