Barbie's had a lot of careers over the years — doctor, dancer, fashion designer, veterinarian, teacher, astronaut and many more. This weekend, she's getting a new job title: Poet. Yes, this Barbie is a bard, and she's coming to New York City to write free poems for you.
The literary team behind Ars Poetica is bringing several pink-clad "Barbie" poets and even a "Ken" to the Seaport on Saturday, July 15 from 2-4pm. Find them outdoors near the Malibu Barbie Cafe at 19 Fulton Street where you should definitely go for a bite to eat after picking up your poem.
Here are some of the topics you can choose from to inspire your custom poem: Your favorite memory of Barbie from childhood; what Barbie means to you today; how you’re reclaiming or healing anything feminine in yourself or your life; and the color pink. Each poet will be decked out in Barbie-inspired gear with pink typewriters.
While the poems are free, the poets do accept tips (and we encourage you to tip generously!).
The poetry collective's founder Lisa Ann Markuson said she and her fellow poets had been thinking about the Barbie movie phenomenon and pondering the question: "Can you be a feminist and also be a Barbie girl?"
Ars Poetica's resident Poet Barbie Zoe Branch dug into that topic in a fascinating blog post. As she aptly puts it: "This moment, I think, is capitalizing on three to four generations of people who are ready to stop feeling ashamed for liking things that are feminine and mainstream."
