Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Marge Piercy’s poem "What She Craved" is a poignant exploration of the relationship between physical cravings and emotional needs, using the simple act of adding sugar to food as a metaphor for seeking comfort in a life filled with bitterness and grief. Through vivid and sensory imagery, Piercy delves into the life of her mother, highlighting the small but significant ways she coped with her hardships.

The poem opens with a juxtaposition: "My mother sugared grapefruit; / my father salted it. / My mother sugared cantaloupe; / my father salted it." This stark contrast between the parents’ preferences sets the stage for the exploration of their different approaches to life and coping mechanisms. The repeated act of sugaring versus salting symbolizes a fundamental difference in how each person sought to manage their experiences and tastes.

Piercy continues by detailing her mother’s penchant for sweetness: "My mother put sugar and lemon / on leaf lettuce from her garden; / two heaping teaspoonfuls into / her milky coffee, with cake." These lines paint a vivid picture of her mother’s routine and the comfort she derived from sweet flavors. The combination of sugar and lemon on lettuce is particularly telling, blending the sourness of lemon with the sweetness of sugar, reflecting the mixture of bitterness and sweetness in her life.

The physical consequences of her mother's craving are starkly described: "Her teeth rotted out and were / yanked from her bleeding jaws / by a cheap sadist downtown. / Still she craved sweetness." This brutal imagery underscores the cost of her coping mechanism, yet also emphasizes her relentless need for comfort in the form of sugar. The depiction of the "cheap sadist" dentist adds a layer of additional suffering, suggesting a life marred by both physical and emotional pain.

Piercy then shifts to the emotional landscape of her mother's life: "In a life with too much that / was bitter, tear soaked salty, / sour as unspoken grief, / sugar was her comfort." These lines reveal the deeper reasons behind her mother’s cravings. The bitterness, tears, and unspoken grief symbolize the emotional struggles she faced, making the sweetness of sugar not just a physical craving but an emotional solace.

The poem concludes with a tender and evocative reflection on the role of sugar in her mother’s life: "a little sweetness in the mouth / lingering like an infrequent kiss; / sugar was the friend kept her clock / ticking through running down days." Here, Piercy uses the metaphor of an "infrequent kiss" to highlight the rarity and preciousness of moments of comfort and affection in her mother's life. The final lines poignantly suggest that sugar was more than just a taste preference; it was a vital source of solace and endurance, helping her mother navigate the hardships of her daily existence.

"What She Craved" by Marge Piercy is a deeply empathetic and insightful poem that uses the motif of sugar to explore themes of comfort, endurance, and the complex ways people cope with life's difficulties. Through vivid imagery and intimate reflections, Piercy offers a nuanced portrait of her mother’s struggles and the small yet significant ways she sought relief from the bitterness of her experiences.

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