Throughout the poem, Rich contrasts repression and constraint with self-creation and liberation. In the beginning, the speaker repeatedly emphasizes her broken self. She “ooze[s]” (Line 9) and “melt[s]” (Line 10). As a result, she is in “piece[s]” (Line 1) and “shreds” (Line 20). Without the freedom to create and define herself, she is left fractured. Because of her repression of personal expression and meaning, her artwork mimics others.

The poem’s pronoun usage supports the evolution of this theme. Initially, the poetic “I” can only define itself through metaphors and allusions. Her identity is defined and constrained by the expectations of others. However, in the second half of the poem, the speaker uses the possessive and reflexive pronouns my, mine, and myself. This change in the use of language reveals the speaker’s freedom to create her own identity, reclaim life as “mine” (Line 27). She reinvents herself as “unappetizing” (Line 22) to make sure she “let nothing use” her (Line 24) except herself, as she sees fit.

A central concern of the poem is the role of art in self-creation and self-expression. When under the constraints of the expectations of artistic greatness, the speaker is unable to create art on her own terms and is left mimicking others.