Performed by Val Cole

1) What is the theme of your poem?

The theme of my poem is the concept of manufactured beauty presented as something to be aspired to despite how dangerous it can be not only physically but emotionally to young girls and other consumers.

2) What motivated you to write this poem?

My motivation was my complicated relationship I had with my body and me deconstructing my love of Barbies growing up. I had them long past my childhood and preteen years. As I grew older, suddenly Barbies became adults as opposed to adults playing the role of teenagers. I was using Barbies to act out adult situations I saw on television and trying to make sense of it.

3) How long have you been writing poetry?

I have been writing poetry since I was about ten years old. Ten years old was the age I decided to become a writer, and soon I was writing objectively bad poetry on top of short stories.

4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?

If I could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), it would be Anne Frank.

5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?

Part of me feels like words are waiting not only for the right person to tell their story, but to do it justice. Having work performed is telling the story that is too big for just the page to contain it, and poetry has that power just as much as scripts for plays and films do.

6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?

I have written short stories, published a novella, am currently writing my first full novel, and attempted to write scripts. While I wasn't the best I writing scripts, I enjoy reading them and plays.

7) What is your passion in life?

My passion is to tell stories. I have a voice--dry, often depressing, yet still clinging to hope and the belief that people have goodness in them--that I plan on sharing with the world soon.