Response to "A Work of Artifice."

In the poem, “A Work of Artifice” by Marge Piercy, metaphors are used beautifully to demonstrate how women are held back by society. In this piece a bonsai tree represents women. The poem begins by saying a bonsai tree has the potential to grow 80 feet high on a mountainside, but instead lives a simple life in a pot. The gardener prunes it regularly so it maintains its tiny form, and all the while it is celebrated for its “cozy” and “domestic” appearance. When the poem comes to a conclusion it is clear that Marge Piercy feels that society is stifling towards women. The pot in this poem is the protective shell around many women that pigeon hole them into certain behaviors and ways of life. The gardener in this piece is a perfect metaphor for the constraints society puts on women. Women are “pruned” and pushed in stereotypical directions with the final destination being a secretary when they are capable of doing so much more. This poem has made me realize how effective metaphors can be in writing. They provide a simple and entertaining way to get across an argument that would otherwise be dull.

By Daniel Sapiro