Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Marge Piercy's "Gifts That Keep on Giving" is a humorous and biting critique of the often absurd and unwanted gifts that circulate through our lives, becoming almost mythical in their persistence and immortality. Through vivid imagery and playful language, Piercy explores the phenomenon of re-gifting and the bizarre endurance of certain undesirable items.

The poem opens with the notorious fruitcake, a symbol of infamous and perennial bad gifts. Piercy humorously suggests that "There were only 51 of them baked in 1917 by the personal chef of Rasputin," and that the mad monk's death was caused by eating one. This hyperbolic origin story sets the tone for the poem, combining historical reference with absurdity to emphasize the fruitcake's enduring and lethal reputation.

Piercy continues to describe other "bouncers" — items that, like the fruitcake, keep returning despite attempts to rid oneself of them. She lists "bowls green and purple spotted like lepers," "vases of inept majolica in the shape of wheezing frogs or overweight lilies," and "sweaters sized for Notre Dame's hunchback." These grotesque and exaggerated images highlight the unattractiveness and impracticality of these gifts, suggesting they are as undesirable as they are unforgettable.

The poem further delves into the realm of uselessness with "hourglasses of no use humans can devise," "gloves to fit three-toed sloths," and "mufflers of screaming plaid acrylic." Piercy's choice of words here underscores the absurdity and pointlessness of these items. The gifts are so ill-conceived that they seem to belong to a different, almost fantastical realm, far removed from practical human needs.

Piercy also mocks the aesthetic failures of certain gifts: "Necklaces and pins that transform any outfit to a thrift shop reject." This line humorously captures the way some gifts can undermine rather than enhance, turning the recipient into a walking fashion faux pas. The inclusion of "boxes of candy so stale and sticky the bonbons pull teeth faster than your dentist" and "weird sauces bought at warehouse sales no one will ever taste unless suicidal or blind" continues this theme, portraying these gifts as more harmful than delightful.

The poet then shifts to the gifts' eerie immortality: "Immortal as vampires, these gifts circulate from birthdays to Christmas, from weddings to anniversaries." The comparison to vampires suggests that these items, like the undead, are impossible to kill or escape. Even when discarded, they "resurface, bobbing up on the third day like the corpses they call floaters," evoking a macabre image of their stubborn persistence.

In a final, satirical twist, Piercy imagines a future where "alien archeologists will judge our civilization by these monstrous relics." This hyperbolic vision underscores the absurdity and triviality of these gifts, suggesting that they could outlast humanity itself and become the defining artifacts of our era.

"Gifts That Keep on Giving" uses humor and exaggeration to critique the social phenomenon of re-gifting and the persistence of unwanted presents. Through her vivid and playful imagery, Piercy not only entertains but also invites readers to reflect on the nature of gift-giving, the value of material possessions, and the curious ways in which certain objects achieve a kind of immortality in our cultural consciousness. The poem is a delightful and thought-provoking commentary on the quirks of human behavior and the enduring impact of even the most trivial of items.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...