Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Marge Piercy's poem "Cats Like Angels" delves into the themes of body image, societal expectations, and personal preferences in physical appearances, particularly in the context of romantic relationships. Through vivid imagery and candid reflections, Piercy challenges conventional standards of beauty and celebrates the natural, robust forms of the human body.

The poem opens with a comparison that sets the tone for its critique of body ideals: "Cats like angels are supposed to be thin; / pigs like cherubs are supposed to be fat." This juxtaposition highlights the arbitrary nature of societal expectations regarding body types. People, on the other hand, are described as "mostly in between," with various imperfections and features that deviate from these narrow ideals. The imagery of "a knob / of bone sticking out in the knee you might / like to pad, a dollop of flab hanging / over the belt" captures the everyday realities of human bodies.

Piercy critiques the self-punishment many individuals subject themselves to in pursuit of these unattainable standards: "You punish yourself, / one of those rubber balls kids have / that come bouncing back off their own / paddles, rebounding on the same slab." The metaphor of a rubber ball illustrates the repetitive and futile nature of this self-inflicted punishment. The desire to be "slender and seamless / as a bolt" reflects a longing for an unrealistic, unblemished ideal.

The poem then shifts to a personal reflection on the speaker's changing preferences in romantic partners over time. As a girl, the speaker was attracted to "spiny men with ascetic grimaces / all elbows and words and cartilage / ribbed like cast up fog-grey hulls." These men, with their sharp features and austere demeanor, represented a particular ideal of masculinity. Their "faces to cut the eyes blind / on the glittering blade" and "chins / of Aegean prows bent on piracy" evoke images of harshness and adventure.

In contrast, the speaker now appreciates men with a love for life and physicality: "men whose easy bellies / show a love for the flesh and the table." These men, who are comfortable in the kitchen and unafraid of domestic tasks, represent a more relaxed and fulfilling approach to life. The speaker values "men with broad / fingers and purple figgy balls, / men with rumpled furrows and the slightly / messed look at ease of beds recently / well used." These descriptions emphasize warmth, sensuality, and a lived-in comfort that contrasts sharply with the earlier ideal of asceticism.

Piercy further critiques societal standards by rejecting the notion that everyone should conform to a thin, adolescent body type: "We are not all supposed / to look like undernourished fourteen year / old boys, no matter what the fashions / ordain." Instead, she celebrates bodies built for strength and endurance: "You are built to pull a cart, / to lift a heavy load and bear it, / to haul up the long slope, and so / am I, peasant bodies, earthy, solid / shapely dark glazed clay pots that can / stand on the fire." This imagery of sturdy, functional bodies as "dark glazed clay pots" underscores their durability and resilience.

The poem concludes with a joyful affirmation of physical connection: "When we put our / bellies together we do not clatter / but bounce on the good upholstery." This final image celebrates the comfort and satisfaction found in embracing natural, robust forms, rejecting the harshness of societal expectations in favor of warmth and mutual acceptance.

"Cats Like Angels" is a powerful commentary on body image and the unrealistic standards imposed by society. Through her vivid and evocative language, Marge Piercy challenges these norms and celebrates the beauty and strength of natural, unidealized human bodies. The poem invites readers to embrace their own forms and find beauty in their authenticity and functionality.

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