The Joy of Cooking

The Joy of Cooking by Elaine Magarrell, is a perfect example of a metaphor. The poem speaks intensively on a rather disgusting topic. Magarrell writes as if she is creating a cannibal cook book. Rather, she is describing the problems she has with her siblings. First she writes "I have prepared my sister's tongue..." (Magarrell). She is not hoping to have a nice dish of tongue however, she is simply explaining her sister's shortcoming. It seems her sister has a problem involving her tongue, perhaps she is harsh with her words. She uses her words as a weapon, perhaps hurting her sister with them. Whatever the case, Magarrell is fed up with her sister. She is also fed up with her brother. "I will have my brother's heart" (Magarrell). Her brother must be a cold, mean person. He does not act with the compassion that one's heart provides. She is frustrated with how both her siblings treat her. Rather than trying to eat her siblings, Magarrell is simply trying to explain her frustrations with them.