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The image created again demonstrates hopelessness and resignation; a feeling of distraught is felt in the poem. The poem then makes a comparison to the literal sense of coming of age, a biological process that is symbolized through literary terms. As the mother is entering her menopausal state, her daughter is just beginning her puberty process, as is implied in the following lines: "her purse full of eggs, round and / firm as hard-boiled yolks, is about / to snap its clasp…" (lines 13 -- 15). The word choice emphasizes the femininity of the process, by including the word purse, representing a material possession associated with a girl's coming of age.
The values reflected in this poem are symbolic of the American values that were not only present in the past, but are also in existence in the present. The relationship between a mother and a daughter is priceless. Despite the slightly negative tone throughout the poem, one where the mother is realizing exactly how much she's aging by witnessing her daughter growing up, the poem represents that cycle of life. It is symbolic of the traditions that mothers pass down to their daughters, just as the poet mentions herself, "…it's an old / story -- the oldest we have on our planet -- / the story of replacement" (lines 16 -- 18). The mother is brushing her daughter's hair, a symbol of feminism and of womanly characteristics. This act in itself transcends all...
The tradition of a mother guiding her daughter through this feminine process allows for a much tougher bond to hold these two characters together.
Although the poem itself was written in the 1980s, it still reflects values present today. The poem is solely about aging, which ironically is a timeless process. Despite the year that the poem was written, the subject of the poem is one that is not defined by a specific time period. This concept brings forth the idea of time as an allusion. Time is relative to what an individual may be experiencing in their lives and not necessarily a set standard. Although the poem was written in a particular year, the subject matter allows it to transcend all time barriers. The time that does matter is that of present vs. The past. The mother wishes that she could once again be as young as her daughter is now, while she does realize that her daughter too will be following the circle of life and will one day be in her mother's place. This concept is in no way dated. The process itself is one that will follow a repetitious pattern, and one which the author makes her readers aware of, is endless. By setting up her poem in this format, it is assured that the piece of writing will continue to be used for centuries to come, as it describes a process that is not tied down to any specific time period.
References:
Olds, S. (2004). 35/10. In S. Olds (Ed.), Strike Sparks: Selected Poems, 1980-2002 (p. 28). New York: Random House, Inc.
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