An ode is a lyric poem in which the author praises and appreciates its subject. In “Ode to My Socks,” poet Neruda exalts a seemingly mundane item: a pair of socks. In fact, this use of such a lowly subject seems to deflate and parody the form of an ode. Nevertheless, Neruda genuinely appreciates this specific pair of hand-knit socks and treats this subject seriously.

What makes these socks so meaningful and significant is that they were knit especially for him by his friend Maru Mori. Through tactile and visual imagery, Neruda emphasizes how special these socks are. He uses two similes to describe them; they feel “as soft / as rabbits,” and his feet slip into them

as though into
two
cases
knitted
with threads of
twilight
and goatskin.

These socks for a grown man are comfortable, safe, and adorable, like rabbits and goats. They are unique and magical, with “threads of twilight.”

In fact, these “heavenly” socks with a shining filament transform his long, ugly feet into animals of strength. Neruda celebrates them through vibrant metaphors. He describes them as

two fish made
of wool,
two long sharks
sea-blue, shot
through
by one golden thread,
two immense blackbirds.

The socks even seem to be too good for his feet. After initially viewing them as “unacceptable,” he admits that his feet actually are respectable enough and glorified by the “handsome” and “glowing” socks. The socks’ material is infused with beauty and power (e.g., “golden thread” and “woven fire”) that offset his unattractive feet.

Odes often praise lofty subjects, like love, immortality, beauty, nature, and so on. Neruda, however, truly elevates the socks as everyday items of worth. He does not use socks in order to parody the form of the ode. Instead of treating the socks as precious items to be collected for safekeeping, he celebrates them by wearing them.

I stretched out
my feet
and pulled on
the magnificent
socks
and then my shoes.

He uses the socks for their intended purpose and does not hide them away. The lesson of this ode is that the socks offer two rewards—their beauty and their ability to keep his feet warm during the winter.