Girlhood

Girlhood

by Koraleigh Ahearn

You played with Barbies

Making up foolish scenarios:

Ken cheated on Barbie,

Barbie became an astronaut.

You dressed her up,

Cut her hair, changed her shoes.

You made her new.

Barbie was always there.

There when you got home from school

Or when your middle school crush rejected you.

Until one day

You picked her up

And played with her

For the last time

Tossed aside,

Her novelty has

Finally worn off.

No shoes or clothes or accessories

Could make them want her anymore.

She lay there lost,

Searching for her girlhood you tossed aside.

Cobwebs collect on her delicate head

In some dusty corner of the basement.

The place

Unwanted

Unappreciated

Unloveable

Objects get discarded,

Donated for someone else’s use.

This is girlhood.