We Discarded Fools

 

I’m that one-eyed teddy bear

deprived of half its stuffing

rotting in your closet.

 

That headless Barbie doll

with only one shoe and no pants?

We’re kindred spirits.

 

The Hotwheel track with

a crushed corner piece;

so does part of me lie crushed.

 

Like the old-school gameboy that

you played the buttons off of,

I feel roughly used and discarded.

 

Your “favorite” deck of Pokemon cards

is strewn wildly, pieces awry.

So are the pieces of me.

 

Did you use me, intent on one or two

play dates?  Of will you come back

and play with me again?

Reviews

[~crazy Beautiful~]

I like your style, I sometimes write like this.

i especially loved this stanza

I'm that one-eyed teddy bear

deprived of half its stuffing

rotting in your closet.

[Jill Laptosky]

I like the title, and I like how the narrator compares herself with these playthings. I really enjoyed how the toys are all managed in some sort of way (the head off the Barbie, the strewn cards, used buttons on the Gameboy, etc.). It's really tight and consistent. I'm not sure about how the narrator feels about being a commodity -- whether she wants to be a toy or not. It seems like she doesn't like being used, but the last stanza presents almost a yearning for it.