The BlueIris Semi-Nightly Poetry Break, 10/22/08

[BlueIris]

"Girlhood"

How happy we were to begin
to use scissors, to point them in jubilation toward
one another, because we were warned
expressly not to. Sharp, silver,
thrilling with glint, what relief

to jab and pierce those paper
snowflakes, snipping like Girl Scouts gone mad.
But before we were passive-aggressive, we were
passive and learned to make flowers
of our folded hands, quiet as souvenir birchbark
canoes balanced on bathwater. Blame me

for anything, everything. Damage me. How easily
the boat tips still.

—Terri Ford

[ismnotwasm]

1. Hmm

I usually just say what pops in my head, so forgive me if this is OT. There was a study a few years back indicating Barbie dolls were not damaging to young girls self esteem. The reason? Many young girls destroy their Barbie's, cut hair, iron breasts, break off legs and arms, attempt to switch heads.


(The conclusion of the study was interesting, even if the premise was bullshit. The passive-aggressive part of the poem made me think of it)

[BlueIris]

2. That IS interesting. But, er, did I read your post too quickly?

The study's conclusion was that Barbie dolls were not damaging to the girls' self-esteem?

[ismnotwasm]

3. Yes

I got the original info from an old email from my brother actually, two or three years ago-- I'll ask him if he remembers where found it, and I'll try to post it.

He's good at that stuff, finds some interesting but pretty off, things.


That was the conclusion--weird, huh?