The Moon (Symbol)
The moon has long been associated with womanhood, going back to the Greek and Roman choice of the woman Artemis as the god of the moon. In “Amends,” Rich draws on this association of the moon with the feminine, by portraying it as caring and comforting towards the world. She builds on this in the second stanza by describing the moon "lick[ing] the broken ledge," an erotic action specifically associated with lesbianism. In this way, Rich incorporates lesbian forms of sexuality into the tradition of symbolizing the moon as feminine.
Comfort (Motif)
Throughout “Amends,” Rich suggests moments in which the moonlight offers comfort to a suffering world. From laying its cheek on the sand, to licking the broken ledge, to dwelling upon the eyelids of sleepers, the moon in “Amends” is constantly noticing which parts of the world are hurting, and attempting to comfort them.
