Identity in “The Gift” and “The Lanyard” The poems “The Gift” by Li-Young Lee and “The Lanyard” by Billy Collins both discuss the identity and relationship of parents and children. “The Gift” discusses how sometimes physical things have deeper, more metaphorical meanings. “The Lanyard” discusses the relationship of a mother and child and the identity of being a parent. “The Gift” and “The Lanyard” both speak about parents, their children, and the love between them, but have different tones and situations. “The Gift,” is about how things parents do have deeper meanings that may not be recognized until the future. The boy was crying, so as the father pulled it out, he told the boy a story to calm him down, “My father recited a story in a low voice” (Collins 2). The boy grew up and married; his wife also got a splinter. He did the same as his father did for him, he did not remember the physical story, but he remembered the love and compassion of his father. This shows that the story itself did not matter as much as the actual act of love. The theme of this poem is, “Physical things sometimes have deeper meanings.” The tone of it was heartwarming, reflective, and grateful. When the reader reads this, he or she can feel and relate to the narrator because we all have parents that we have learned from and are grateful for. That is one reason why this is a great poem because almost anyone can relate to it. This poem also has very vivid images and colorful language. The choice of