An Analysis of To Have without Holding by Marge Piercy

An Analysis of To Have without Holding by Marge Piercy The poem To Have without Holding, by Marge Piercy, is about the speaker trying to reconcile the conflict between her preconceived notion of a personal relationship with present reality. Her partner, whom she must feel worth the pain and effort, apparently has a more liberal and open approach, which causes her to feel insecure. The poem expresses, using metaphor, simile, and symbolism, the speakers discomfort at a point in time in this emotionally unbalanced relationship. She defines, explains, and personalizes her place in the relationship from a unique and unsettling perspective, while providing a reminder that preconceived notions must eventually be evaluated against ones†¦show more content†¦The third stanza goes on to define the pain, only now in more emotional terms, such as It hurts to thwart the reflexes / of grab, of clutch (14-15), as well as the pain of continuously having to say good bye, each perhaps as if for the last time: to love and let / go again and again ( 15-16). These lines reinforce the impression that the first stanzas definition of to love differently is in fact an anti-freedom or state of emotional anarchy, now using words like pester to describe any separation; the poet is compelled to remember / the lover who is not in the bed (16), hinting at obsessive tendencies as being possible components of the relationship. We also learn that she believes love requires work, which she cannot do without her partners assistance, and that this lack of cooperation frustrates her. She believes this neglected effort is the other partys fault by his failure to do his fair share, thereby leaving her own efforts ineffective, the whole of it characterized as an effort that gutters like a candle in a cave / without air (19-20). Her demands of this work are quite broad, encompassing being conscious, conscientious and concrete in her efforts and optimistically calling this work constructive (20-21) before ending the stanza. Next we begin to see the other side ofShow MoreRelatedMarge Piercy Barbie Doll Analysis1860 Words   |  8 Pagesfor women to â€Å"paint their face† is due to the fear of other people not seeing them as attractive (Warren par. 7). The perfect female is thought to have flawless skin, perfect make up, and a slim body. Hiding behind a full face of makeup discriminates women themselves, as it hides their genuine glamor and disguises their true personality. Marge Piercy, in her poem â€Å"Barbie Doll†, uses the account of an unnamed female character who goes through her life worrying about what others think of her flaws