What Are Big Girls Made Of?: Poems
by Marge Piercy
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Poetry about everyday things. One poem is on the ubiquitous answering machine which "addresses you as a retarded dog," another is on women who allow themselves to be "retooled, refitted and redesigned for every decade," a third is on motorists who kill animals and do not even bother to look.Tags
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"What Are Big Girls Made Of?" meditates on exactly that question. The author examines her life and her world with maturity, a deft pen, and frank honesty.
I've been reading Piercy's poetry collections spanning her career to see how her feminism has developed since she first started publishing. This collection, published in 1997, is softened compared to her early anger in To Be of Use. There are some strong poems about abortion in the beginning section and a good poem on self image toward the end, but as a whole, I am disappointed by the waning of Piercy's feminist poetry. If you're looking for that, I suggest her earlier collections. This one is more about the mundane, nature, and getting older.
Excellent, excellent collections of poems. So far, this is my favorite of her collections. I think she must have been about my age when she wrote them - so many speak to who I am now, and where I've been. I may have to buy two copies, so I can loan one out :)
This book was my introduction to Marge Piercy, and when I was done, I grabbed all the poetry of hers I could find. I've waited a long time to read words so earthy and unrestrained.
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66+ Works 12,027 Members
Poet and novelist Marge Piercy was born in Detroit, Michigan on March 31, 1936. She received a B. A. from the University of Michigan and an M. A. from Northwestern. She is involved in the Jewish renewal and political work and was part of the civil rights movement. She won the Arthur C. Clarke award. Besides writing her own novels and collections show more of poetry, she has collaborated with her husband Ira Wood on a play, The Last White Class, and a novel, Storm Tide. In 1997, they founded a small literary publishing company called the Leapfrog Press. She currently lives in Cape Cod. (Bowker Author Biography) Marge Piercy is the author of 14 previous poetry collections and 14 novels. In 1990 her poetry won the Golden Rose, the oldest poetry award in the country. She lives on Cape Cod. (Publisher Provided) Marge Piercy is the author of 35 books of poetry & fiction, including the best sellers "Gone to Soldiers" & "The Longings of Women". (Publisher Provided) show less
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- Reviews
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- Languages
- English
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