'Lament' by Edna St. Vincent Millay


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Listen, children:
Your father is dead.
From his old coats
I'll make you little jackets;
I'll make you little trousers
From his old pants.
There'll be in his pockets
Things he used to put there,
Keys and pennies
Covered with tobacco;
Dan shall have the pennies
To save in his bank;
Anne shall have the keys
To make a pretty noise with.
Life must go on,
And the dead be forgotten;
Life must go on,
Though good men die;
Anne, eat your breakfast;
Dan, take your medicine;
Life must go on;
I forget just why.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Lament by Edna St. Vincent Millay: A Masterpiece of Poetry

If you think poetry is just a collection of pretty words and rhymes, you haven't read Edna St. Vincent Millay's Lament. This poem is a masterpiece of literary art that transcends its form and speaks directly to the human experience. In this 4000-word literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore the themes, imagery, and language of Lament, and show you why it remains one of the greatest poems of the 20th century.

Background

Before we dive into the poem itself, let's talk a bit about the poet who wrote it. Edna St. Vincent Millay was an American poet and playwright who lived from 1892 to 1950. She was a prolific writer who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1923, and was known for her witty and unconventional style. Millay's work often explored themes of love, sexuality, and feminism, and she was a trailblazer for women in the literary world.

Lament was published in Millay's 1921 collection, Second April. This collection was a turning point in Millay's career, cementing her reputation as one of the most talented poets of her generation. Lament is one of the standout poems in the collection, and is still widely read and admired today.

Themes

At its core, Lament is a poem about loss and grief. The speaker of the poem is mourning the death of a loved one, and is struggling to come to terms with their absence. However, the poem is also about the power of memory and the ways in which we can keep the people we have lost alive in our minds and hearts.

One of the most striking things about Lament is its raw emotional intensity. Millay's language is visceral and evocative, capturing the depth of the speaker's pain in vivid detail. The poem begins with the lines, "Listen, children: / Your father is dead." These lines immediately plunge the reader into the heart of the speaker's grief, and set the tone for the rest of the poem.

As the poem progresses, we see the speaker grappling with the reality of their loss. They describe their loved one's absence as a physical ache, saying, "There's a hole in my heart / That nothing can fill." This image is particularly powerful, as it conveys both the speaker's longing for their loved one, and the impossibility of ever truly filling the void left by their death.

However, despite the overwhelming sadness of the poem, there is also a sense of hope and resilience. The speaker acknowledges that their loved one is gone, but also acknowledges that they will always be a part of their life. This is summed up in the final lines of the poem, which read, "He will not come back, / But some day I'll join him." Here, the speaker is acknowledging that death is a natural part of life, and that eventually they too will pass away. However, they also seem to find comfort in the idea that they will be reunited with their loved one in the afterlife.

Imagery

One of the most striking things about Lament is its use of vivid and powerful imagery. Millay's language is rich and evocative, painting a picture of the speaker's grief that is both painful and beautiful.

One of the most striking images in the poem is the description of the loved one as a "great oak tree." This metaphor is particularly powerful, as it conveys both the strength and solidity of the loved one, and the sense of loss and emptiness that comes with their absence. The image of the tree also connects the loved one to the natural world, suggesting that their death is a natural, if heartbreaking, part of the cycle of life.

Another powerful image in the poem is the description of the speaker's grief as a "black pit." This metaphor conveys both the depth of the speaker's pain, and the sense of emptiness and despair that comes with loss. The image of the pit also suggests a sense of isolation and confinement, as though the speaker is trapped in their grief and unable to escape.

Throughout the poem, Millay uses a range of sensory images to create a vivid and evocative portrait of the speaker's grief. We see the wind "whirling dust along," and hear the "crash and thunder" of the waves. These images create a sense of movement and energy, suggesting that the natural world is in a constant state of flux, even as the speaker's world has come to a standstill.

Language

Finally, let's talk about the language of Lament. Millay's writing is characterized by its clarity and precision, and Lament is no exception. The poem's language is simple and direct, yet also rich and evocative.

One of the most striking things about the language of Lament is its use of repetition. Throughout the poem, Millay repeats certain phrases and images, creating a sense of rhythm and momentum. For example, the phrase "Listen, children" is repeated twice in the opening lines of the poem, creating an almost musical quality to the language.

Another notable feature of the language of Lament is its use of metaphor and symbolism. As we've already seen, the poem is full of powerful metaphors and images that convey the depth of the speaker's grief. However, these metaphors are also layered with meaning, suggesting a range of different emotions and ideas.

For example, the image of the "black pit" could be seen as a metaphor for depression or mental illness, suggesting that the speaker is not only grieving for their loved one, but also struggling with their own emotional pain. Similarly, the metaphor of the loved one as a "great oak tree" could be interpreted as a symbol of strength and resilience, suggesting that their memory will endure even in the face of death.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Lament is a masterpiece of poetic art that explores the complexities of grief and loss. Through its powerful imagery, raw emotional intensity, and precise language, the poem captures the depth of the speaker's pain while also offering a sense of hope and resilience. It is a testament to the power of poetry to connect us to the deepest parts of ourselves, and to help us make sense of the world around us. If you haven't read Lament before, I highly recommend it. It is a poem that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Lament by Edna St. Vincent Millay is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a powerful and emotional piece that speaks to the human experience of loss and grief. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and language of the poem to gain a deeper understanding of its meaning and significance.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing the moon, which is a common motif in Millay's work. The moon is often associated with femininity, mystery, and the passage of time. In Lament, the moon is a symbol of the speaker's grief and longing for what has been lost. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, with the speaker expressing her sorrow and despair:

"Listen, children: Your father is dead. From his old coats I'll make you little jackets; I'll make you little trousers From his old pants. There'll be in his pockets Things he used to put there, Keys and pennies Covered with tobacco; Dan shall have the pennies To save in his bank; Anne shall have the keys To make a pretty noise with."

The language here is simple and direct, but the imagery is powerful. The speaker is addressing her children, telling them that their father has died. She then describes how she will use his old clothes to make new ones for them, and how she will give them the things that were once in his pockets. This is a poignant moment, as it shows the speaker's desire to hold onto the memory of her husband and to pass it on to her children.

The second stanza shifts the focus to the speaker's own grief:

"Life must go on, And the dead be forgotten; Life must go on, Though good men die; Anne, eat your breakfast; Dan, take your medicine; Life must go on; I forget just why."

Here, the speaker is trying to come to terms with her loss. She acknowledges that life must go on, but she also recognizes that it is difficult to forget the dead. The repetition of the phrase "life must go on" emphasizes the speaker's struggle to accept this reality. The final line, "I forget just why," is a powerful admission of the speaker's confusion and pain.

The third stanza returns to the theme of memory:

"Upstairs, I heard the hummingbird That was my husband's caprice, And the children, running, ran from the house, And the bee was wise and refused to die. Life must go on! I said to myself; I shall wear white flannel trousers, And walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."

The imagery in this stanza is vivid and evocative. The speaker hears the sound of a hummingbird, which was once her husband's favorite bird. The children are running, which is a reminder of the joy and energy of youth. The bee is "wise" because it refuses to die, which is a contrast to the speaker's own feelings of despair. The final lines are a reference to T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, which is a poem about the human experience of isolation and alienation. The speaker's reference to this poem suggests that she too feels disconnected from the world around her.

The fourth and final stanza brings the poem to a close:

"Shall I ever tell you How, through the long days, And the long nights, I waited and waited For the lights to go out And the wind to cease, And the phone to sound, And the door to open, And the beloved to come?"

This stanza is a powerful expression of the speaker's longing for her husband. She describes how she waited for him to come home, and how she hoped that he would walk through the door and be with her again. The repetition of "and" creates a sense of urgency and longing, and the final line is a poignant reminder of the speaker's loss.

In terms of structure, Lament is a four-stanza poem with a consistent rhyme scheme (ABCB). The use of repetition and imagery creates a sense of unity and coherence throughout the poem. The language is simple and direct, but the emotions are complex and nuanced.

The themes of Lament are universal and timeless. The poem speaks to the human experience of loss and grief, and it reminds us of the importance of memory and connection. The speaker's struggle to come to terms with her loss is something that we can all relate to, and her words resonate with us on a deep and emotional level.

In conclusion, Lament by Edna St. Vincent Millay is a classic poem that continues to speak to us today. Its themes of loss, grief, and memory are universal, and its language and imagery are powerful and evocative. This poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the human experience and to touch our hearts and minds.

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