Ms. Theriault
Freshman English
Poem Analysis--Model
The poem I love best, the poem that I want to memorize and memorialize is: To be of
use by Marge Piercy. I discovered this poem to share with Kendra, a young friend who
graduated from college. She wants a career that allows her to give back to society so
the title caught my attention. Kendra, like me, seeks meaningful work; this poem not
only speaks to Kendra, it speaks to me as well; it has since become my favorite poem.
The title, To be of use, is appropriate for this piece—Piercy goes on to sing the praises
of hard work. I grew up in a blue-collar working class family where my values about
work were set at a very young age. Both my parents worked long hours and held down
multiple jobs. My father was a welder, my mother a seamstress. All six of us children
had numerous responsibilities to keep our family intact; additionally, we were expected
to earn our own money by the time we became double digits at the age of 10. My
parents instilled a strong work ethic in us, for which I am eternally grateful. Piercy’s
poem honors the workers of the world, especially those who do the dirty work-- the low
prestige jobs that afford high wages for those on top of the work pyramid.
This poem is written in four stanzas from the first person point of view. The first three
stanzas include the phrases “I love” and “I want” which makes the reader believe in
Piercy’s sincerity about her subject. Furthermore, the first person point of view has the
effect of drawing the reader in. It makes me feel like she’s talking directly to me. The
fourth and last stanza is more reflective and conveys her values about work: it must be
well done, purposeful, and meaningful. This structure encourages the reader to be
reflective about his/her own attitudes about work. The overall tone of this poem is
respectful and reverential. Examples include “The people I love the best jump into work
head first….harness themselves….submerge in the task...” along with “the thing worth
doing well done has a shape that satisfies” all suggest a serious, respectful tone.
Marge Piercy uses poetic devices such as imagery, metaphor, and simile. Initially I was
struck by her beautiful use of imagery such as “jump into work headfirst without dallying
in the shallows” I can envision a person diving headfirst into icy, deep water without a
second thought about the stinging cold. The simile, “who pull like water buffalo” takes
me to rice paddies of Asia (where rice is a main staple of life), as does the metaphor,
“an ox to a heavy cart”. Both of these convey strength, perseverance, and commitment.
Piercy uses personification successfully in her last sentence with “The pitcher cries for
water”. By giving the pitcher the human quality of “cries”, she effectively ties in the
meaning of title.
The main theme of this poem is a celebration of work that is done consciously, with
pride and attentiveness. Piercy honors the common worker and writes a paean to hard
work. She uses words such as pull, strain, muck, and mud to demonstrate how
unglamorous this kind of work is and also how necessary it is for survival of a society.
This is particularly evident in the phrase, “when the food must come in or the fire be put
out”. Such are the basic necessities of life and Piercy is celebrating those unsung
heroes who do the challenging work while receiving little acknowledgment from society.
Ms. Theriault
Freshman English
I keep this poem posted in my office at home to remind me of my own journey to be of
use. Like my mother, I’ve worked in sweatshops—at times being the only English
speaker in the factory. Unlike my mother, I had more opportunities to get an education
which allowed me to choose another profession that I feel passionate about—teaching.
It is here, in this classroom, where I know I am of use to my learning community. I
remain deeply aware that every job I’ve ever done was purposeful and done well. They
were stepping stones to finding my rightful livelihood. Kendra, by the way, is an
environmental educator. She works with teenagers in an outdoor school setting. Her
work is seasonal, thus when not teaching she is weeding gardens, and scrubbing floors
for others. She has found work that is real for her. This is exactly what I hope for every
single one of my students.