Symbol Analysis
In this poem, the idea of the "pen" is mostly a symbol, like when people say that "the pen is mightier than the sword." They don't actually mean you should fight someone who has a sword using a pen, because that would be lousy advice. What they're doing is using the "pen" (the thing you write with), to symbolize all of the power and beauty of written expression. Oh, and by the by, this technique, where you represent a big idea by referring to one small part of it, is called metonymy.
- Line 3: When our speaker talks about her "mean pen" she doesn't want us to think that her pen itself isn't any good. Instead, she's using the pen as a symbol for her poetic talent in general. At the same time, she's tapping into the power of the pen—reminding us that even if she's not sure she's the best at it, she is still very much a writer, and not to be ignored.
- Line 27: Here the pen is contrasted with the needle. The basic idea that she's fighting against here is the notion that pens are for boys and needles are for girls. Think of it as the seventeenth-century version of a little girl getting a Barbie while her brother gets a dump truck. Come to think of it, an Anne Bradstreet Barbie might be sort of awesome (comes with action pen and extra bonnet).