The Visible Woman
The Visible Woman’s anatomy kit
box promised, The Wonders
of the Human Body Revealed.
Her 15” tall clear plastic skin shell
was painted with major arteries and veins.
She had an easy-to-assemble white skeleton,
appropriately colored organs,
and optional parts to simulate pregnancy.
She was my favorite toy.
The Visible Woman’s face was beautiful,
but stoic. She looked resigned to a life
of her breast plate being constantly
removed and replaced, and her organs
re-arranged in ways not suggested
in the illustrated guide,
allegedly written by medical experts.
The Visible Woman always stood
straight and proud, holding her arms
away from her body.
Her open palms faced out —
she looked like she was asking for mercy.
I stopped playing with The Visible Woman
when she started reminding me
of Jesus Christ on his cross.
I became The Visible Woman.
My clear plastic shell
doesn’t protect me.
I’m always exposed.
I’m never safe.
I can’t be silent and calm
like she was. I scream
and flail and crawl back into
my black cardboard box.
⟐ ⟐ ⟐
To read Sheila Wellehan’s poem “I Dream of Buying a Gun” (2023), click here
To read her poems “The In-Between” and “Manus Miraculum” (2022), click here.