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Comment 12 of 12, added on April 8th, 2006 at 5:38 PM.
Margaret Atwood is a feminist poet, and many of her themes are about the brutalization, abuse, and oppresion of women. To think that she would write this poem as a "joke" of some sort is ridiculous. The first part is a sewing metaphor as relating to a sexual and emotional relationship; it seems perfect on the surface, a symbol of love and connection. Then she reveals the truth, which is that of an open, innocent eye (her) brutalized by something inhumane and incredibly painful. Behind a seemingly perfect ideal, there is the repulsive reality that her imagery describes. Although the poem is somewhat sarcastic, and directed as a biting remark to whoever inflicted such damage, it is not a joke. It is a clear commentary on the ignored or unseen abuse and oppression of women.
Laura Jeanette from United States
Comment 11 of 12, added on December 5th, 2005 at 9:32 AM.
Almost everyone who has posted a comment, has said that it must be a joke, or that it made them laugh, why can't they see that it's about a deep emotional, mental and physical relationship that's been torn apart. Someone was let into her life and she thought they were perfect, but with a break-up that wasn't mututal occuring, "An open eye" could also mean "An open 'I'". She was hurt, and it's not humurous
Anonymous
Comment 10 of 12, added on September 23rd, 2005 at 4:08 PM.
To Jerry from the United States:
Yesterday after I first read this poem, I called up one of my friends to read it to him, because I thought it was hilarious as well. However, he did not. Oh well.
Ivory from Canada
Comment 9 of 12, added on September 23rd, 2005 at 11:34 AM.
Hmmm. Am I the only one that finds this poem humorous? It certainly made me laugh out loud,
something not that easy to do. The first two lines of the poem sounds like a the start of a sweet
song of adoration, only to find the reality of the hook and eye the poet has in mind. The gruesome
thought of a fish hook stuck in your eye makes one squirm with such revulsion -- the contrast is
so unexpected, so extreme, it's got to be a joke?
Jerry from United States
Comment 8 of 12, added on September 17th, 2005 at 10:05 PM.
I think this poem is more emotional than sexual. The fish hook is symbolic because a fish hook often has a nice worm on the end luring the unsuspecting fish in. The loss of the eye represents how her view of this person who hurt her has now changed. It is a relationship gone bad.
abby from United States
Comment 7 of 12, added on May 24th, 2005 at 9:26 PM.
Gunnar Bengtsson has copyrighted this Internet page, yet he is using a poem by a living poet that is almost certainly under copyright without indicating either that or whether he has permission to re-publish it here. What are the rights and laws concerning copying poems on the Internet and in college readers?
oneota from Korea, South
Comment 6 of 12, added on April 20th, 2005 at 1:36 PM.
I don't see why this poem must be read a an analogy for a bad/painful sexual experience. A bad experience, yes, and it seems to have been a sexual relationship, but it also seems like she's using a cloying expression of romantic love ("you fit into me", see "City of Angels" for abuse of phrase) and showing how something fragile/delicate can be *metaphorically* gouged by that "fitting in." I think you should think about what having a hook in your eye does to you physically (loss of vision in addition to pain) to understand part of how this poem might be read metaphorically as a surprise wound that made it hard to see things clearly. Why add the detail--a "fish" hook and an "open" eye if these terms are not also meant to be read as part of the meaning? Remember that Oedipus solved the Sphinx's riddle by thinking metaphorically instead of literally: that is a key to literature.
Sonya from United States
Comment 5 of 12, added on April 12th, 2005 at 10:47 AM.
I have a tape of Margaret Atwood reading some of her poetry. This poem is included in another poem on the tape, not by itself. I think it is hard to understand what she is saying (which I believe is also about the feminist movement) without reading the other poem.
Tinfoil Queen from United States
Comment 4 of 12, added on April 7th, 2005 at 7:35 PM.
It's so stupid: this crazy woman just says she hates to make love with someone. Is this a poem? Common, she must be kidding! Actually, she just hates everything!
Rudy from Canada
Comment 3 of 12, added on January 18th, 2005 at 8:35 PM.
This is a super-clever poem-I wish I would have written it myself. When you read the first stanza you feel all sweet inside and you think its gonna be all mushy, then you read the second stanza and you laugh out loud as your realize, "Yep. I've been there."
Mary from United States
This poem has been commented on more than 10 times. Click below to see the other comments.
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Copyright © 2003-2008 Gunnar Bengtsson, Poetry Connection. All Rights Reserved.
Margaret Atwood is a feminist poet, and many of her themes are about the brutalization, abuse, and oppresion of women. To think that she would write this poem as a "joke" of some sort is ridiculous. The first part is a sewing metaphor as relating to a sexual and emotional relationship; it seems perfect on the surface, a symbol of love and connection. Then she reveals the truth, which is that of an open, innocent eye (her) brutalized by something inhumane and incredibly painful. Behind a seemingly perfect ideal, there is the repulsive reality that her imagery describes. Although the poem is somewhat sarcastic, and directed as a biting remark to whoever inflicted such damage, it is not a joke. It is a clear commentary on the ignored or unseen abuse and oppression of women.
Laura Jeanette from United States