IF I WERE A DOLL

If I Were a Doll

If I were a doll,
my shoes would light up,
and there would be
a button that would play music.
I think everyone should have
a soundtrack to their lives.

Today my personal power song
would be Moon River,
because it feels like it’s 2am
all the time,
and the window ledge is
probably the safest, quietest place
in my house, right now.

If I were a doll,
I would have a twistable scalp,
just like the Tuesday Taylor doll
from the 70’s.
One day I would be blonde –
the next day, brunette.
It’s called hair fashion bi-polar disorder,
but the Mattel toy company
will never admit to that.

If I were a doll,
the downside would be
not being able to taste fried calamari
or cheesy quesadillas with sour cream.
I wouldn’t be able to feel my limbs stretch
and crack
after sleeping in late
under a down comforter.
I wouldn’t even be able
to feel Ken kiss me,
because Ken is just a doll too,
and I would be made of plastic and rubber,
so …
I guess I don’t want to be a doll after all.


Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011

(Beloved "Blue Mommy" doll belonging to the poet many decades ago)