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Author of 15 volumes of poetry, two of which were finalists for the National Book Award, she served as Poet Laureate of Maryland from 1991 to 1994 and, in 2003, won the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize for lifetime achievement. Linda’s work often focused on the ordinary moments of life: domestic activities, familial relationships, aging, fear, loss ...
Linda Pastan's poem "Marks" is a powerful and concise exploration of the pressures and expectations placed on women, particularly within the roles of wife and mother. Through the metaphor of grading, Pastan deftly critiques the way these roles are evaluated by family members, reducing the speaker’s efforts and identity to a series of ...
Wait ’til they learn. I’m dropping out. 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,
10 wrz 2014 · I chose to analyze the poem “Marks” my Linda Pastan. This entire poem is one giant extended metaphor. Pastan uses the grades a student would get in school to describe how her family measures her as a wife/mom.
The poem uses marks (or grades) as a metaphor. The use of grades as a metaphor in this poem makes it clear to us that as a mother she is constantly being judged on her performance. Instead of receiving thanks and praise for all that she does as a mother, she is constantly being assessed on how well she does it.
"Marks" is a one stanza, free verse poem. There is no rhyme scheme, but there is enjambment in a few lines. Linda Pastan uses enjambment in this poem to add some rhythm and to also help the readers continue thinking about the idea talked about in the previous line.
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.
