The cat tells of all of the things that humans cannot do, but that cats do with ease. Unlike the anger expressed in Piercy's early years, the Cat's Song reflects a sense of inner peace and a need to bond with the natural world. Cats appear in much of Piercy's later work. The rhythm of Piercy's poetry changed to reflect the rhythm of her life. Early works, such as Barbie Doll, use a stumbling rhythm, one long line, followed by a short, terse line. Her early works did not flow smoothly, reflecting the inner turmoil of the writer and the inner turmoil of the women that she portrayed. Piercy's later works flow, using even rhythmical lines and language that reminds the reader of a river gently flowing. This change in style reflects changes within the writer, to a more inspired and peaceful existence.

Piercy's imagery changed throughout her life as well. Early works relied upon imagery from the city, such as fan belts breaking, GE stoves, and irons. The Morning Half-Life Blues brings us imagery of glitzy shop windows and subway stations. Imagery in her later years contains the woods, grass, and images of nature. When one reads Piercy's works as a whole, it seems as if there are two entirely different people. Piercy's early style and imagery bears little resemblance to later works during the Cape Cod years. This change in poetic style reflects deeper changes within the writer and the way in which she viewed her world.

Toad Dreams further supports the later style of he author and differences from her early works. In this poem, she opens with a quote from Henry Thoreau, one of the world's greatest...

This poem reflects Piercy's awareness of a world, which people seldom notice. She takes the reader outside of their living rooms and the drone of the television to a world, where life hangs in the balance every moment. This poem has a flowing style where one thought blends easily into another. It emphasizes the desire for simplicity that Piercy wanted in her Cape Cod years.
A study of Piercy's poetry, taken as a whole, juxtaposes one world against another. Piercy's poems reflect a world of contrasts and opposites. She skillfully weaves images of the complexity of our lives into the simplicity of nature. She contrasts the world of outer appearances and expectations with that of the inner world. She contrasts the world of inner dreams with that of outer expectations. If one could summarize the poetry of Marge Piercy in one world, it would be "dichotomy." Her poetry exposes the dualities that exist within the world, both the one that we created, and the one that exists without our help.

Piercy lived two different lives in one. Her early years reflected a world of fast-paced, Cold War attitudes that ate away at the soul on a daily basis. Her later years reflect balance and a greater reverence for humanity. During both phases of her life and her works, Piercy reflects the differences between the world that we see and the world that we do not see. Piercy's work celebrates who we really are inside and those differences that make us unique.

To say that Piercy's work is feminist would be an understatement. She was an example for those who chose to follow their inner calling in