"Marks" by Linda Pastan

Linda Pastan is an American poet of Jewish heritage. After settling down with her family, she was encourage to return to her love of poetry. As a result, she has produced famous works that center on marriage, relationships, family and the "anxieties that exist under the surface of everyday life."

"Marks" by Linda Pastan

My husband gives me an A
for last night's supper,
an incomplete for my ironing,
a B plus in bed.
My son says I am average,
an average mother, but if
I put my mind to it
I could improve.
My daughter believes
in Pass/Fail and tells me
I pass.  Wait 'til they learn
I'm dropping out.

Pastan's poem is about a wife and mother who is constantly graded and criticized on everything she does.  Pastan utilizes an extended metaphor in order to convey her message. The mother does everything her family asks of her and yet she still falls short of their high, almost unreachable expectations. Pastan compares the mother's life to the life of a student in which she is graded on everything she does. The woman is obviously irritated by the constant grading of her daily activities. In a sense she becomes a student who has to "learn" but if she has to learn she also has the right to "drop out." 
Reading Pastan's poem through a feminist lens, we realize she makes a valid point. Her metaphor becomes the center of her social commentary.  They, in a sense, take her everyday duties for granted. Considering Paston's common theme of anxieties of everyday life, it is clear to see she is commenting on the tough life of a mother and wife. This woman has enough stress in her life and does not need the added stress of "passing" her husband's and children's "classes." Due to the lack of recognition, she gets the idea of dropping out or leaving the family all together. This would show her family all they take for granted and would persuade them to be less harsh in their grading of her or perhaps stop their grading all together. On the whole, Paston's message is on the lack of respect women get. She believes they are disrespected, to the point where their every action is graded, and are not treated as equal to men. Notice her children don't grade their father or that she doesn't mention her husband's grade in bed. While Paston's poem was written in 1978, it resembles many of the ideas the feminist movement of today works towards. 

"The Aim Was Song" by Robert Frost

Robert Frost is regarded as one of the greatest American poets. His work usually centered on rural life, in particular the countryside of the New England region. His works won him four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.



Before man to blow to right

The wind once blew itself untaught,

And did its loudest day and night

In any rough place where it caught.


Man came to tell it what was wrong:

It hadn't found the place to blow;

It blew too hard -- the aim was song.

And listen -- how it ought to go!


He took a little in his mouth,

And held it long enough for north

To be converted into south,

And then by measure blew it forth.


By measure. It was word and note,

The wind the wind had meant to be --

A little through the lips and throat.

The aim was song -- the wind could see.


Frost's poem is a reflection on poetry and its various forms. Frost is commenting on how poetry changes over time, yet the same purpose always remains. The aim of all poets is to create a song and the different types of poetry allow poets to achieve this universal goal. Songs allow poets to convey a message.  Frost creates his "song" with a structured rhyme scheme that makes his poem melodious.  In a sense, his poem is an ideal song. There is a consistent rhythm and meter throughout the whole  poem. Frost's message is to not lose sight of the true meaning of poetry, which is song. Frost's wind metaphor emphasizes a certain natural quality all poems have. This quality happens to be song. Poets can utilize the different forms of poetry to allow their songs to be heard. All poems, regardless of form, are all songs. The direction of the wind may change over time, but it is still wind. Likewise, the forms of poetry change overtime but it is still poetry.  Frost is also explaining how the beauty of poetry is its freedom. Poets are free to write their songs in a variety of ways and in the same way, readers are free to interpret those poems. Much like man is free to explore the laws of nature (wind), readers are free to explore the laws of poetry.