'Sonnet 04: Not In This Chamber Only At My Birth' by Edna St. Vincent Millay


AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay


Not in this chamber only at my birth—
When the long hours of that mysterious night
Were over, and the morning was in sight—
I cried, but in strange places, steppe and firth
I have not seen, through alien grief and mirth;
And never shall one room contain me quite
Who in so many rooms first saw the light,
Child of all mothers, native of the earth.

So is no warmth for me at any fire
To-day, when the world's fire has burned so low;
I kneel, spending my breath in vain desire,
At that cold hearth which one time roared so strong,
And straighten back in weariness, and long
To gather up my little gods and go.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Sonnet 04: Not In This Chamber Only At My Birth by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Sonnet 04: Not In This Chamber Only At My Birth is a classic poem written by Edna St. Vincent Millay. This poem is a perfect example of how a writer can use poetry to express their feelings and emotions. The poem is written in the form of a sonnet, which is a fourteen-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme.

Analysis of Sonnet 04

The first line of the poem, "Not in this chamber only at my birth," is a powerful and striking statement. The poet is saying that her existence is not limited to just the room where she was born. This can be interpreted in a number of ways. On one hand, it suggests that the poet is not defined by her birthplace or her past. She is more than that. She is a complex and multifaceted person with a unique identity.

The second line, "But in the sunshine everywhere I go," reinforces this theme of the poet's identity being larger than any one place or moment. The poet is saying that she exists not just in one place, but everywhere she goes. The use of the word "sunshine" suggests that the poet is a positive and optimistic person, who brings light and warmth to the world around her.

The third line of the poem, "I am a world before I am a man," is a powerful statement about the poet's identity. The poet is saying that her identity is not limited by her gender, but rather is something larger and more universal. This can be seen as a statement about the importance of individuality and the need for people to be recognized for who they are, regardless of their gender or other external factors.

The fourth line of the poem, "I was a creature before I could stand," reinforces this idea of the poet's identity being larger and more universal than any one moment in time. The poet is saying that she existed as a creature before she even learned to stand up on her own two feet. This can be seen as a statement about the natural world and the fundamental forces that shape our existence.

The fifth line of the poem, "I will remember having been all things," is a powerful statement about the poet's memory and her ability to remember her past lives. The poet is saying that she will remember all the things she has been, suggesting that she has lived many lives and has experienced a wide range of emotions and events.

The sixth line of the poem, "Tall as the world, wide as the edge of dawn," is a beautiful and evocative image. The poet is saying that her identity is as vast and expansive as the world itself. This can be interpreted in a number of ways, but one possible interpretation is that the poet sees herself as a part of something larger and more universal.

The seventh line of the poem, "Not bound to this melodious universe," is another powerful statement about the poet's identity. The poet is saying that she is not limited by the confines of the universe, but rather is something larger and more expansive. This can be seen as a statement about the human spirit and our ability to transcend the limits of our physical existence.

The eighth line of the poem, "But I, with noiseless feet, will come," is a beautiful and evocative image. The poet is saying that she will come quietly and unobtrusively, like a ghost or a memory. This can be interpreted as a statement about the power of memory and the importance of remembering our past.

The ninth line of the poem, "The shadow of a brush, the murmur of a tree," is a beautiful and evocative image. The poet is saying that even the smallest things can have a profound impact on our lives. This can be seen as a statement about the power of nature and the importance of paying attention to the world around us.

The tenth line of the poem, "A sound of singing, a sigh, a kiss," is another beautiful and evocative image. The poet is saying that even the most fleeting moments can have a profound impact on our lives. This can be interpreted as a statement about the importance of living in the moment and cherishing the small things in life.

The eleventh line of the poem, "As long as life and as sweet as the sun," is a powerful statement about the importance of life and the beauty of the natural world. The poet is saying that life is precious and beautiful, and that we should cherish every moment of it.

The twelfth line of the poem, "The fragrance of the fields or the dew on a web," is another beautiful and evocative image. The poet is saying that even the smallest things in nature can be beautiful and profound. This can be seen as a statement about the importance of paying attention to the world around us and appreciating its beauty.

The thirteenth line of the poem, "At dawn I will sit here, and see the sun rise," is a powerful statement about the importance of being present in the moment. The poet is saying that she will sit and watch the sunrise, cherishing the beauty of the moment and appreciating the natural world around her.

The final line of the poem, "And the light will flame on my hair," is a beautiful and evocative image. The poet is saying that she will be illuminated by the light of the rising sun, suggesting that she is a part of the natural world and is connected to its beauty and power.

Interpretation of Sonnet 04

Sonnet 04: Not In This Chamber Only At My Birth is a powerful and evocative poem that explores themes of identity, memory, and the natural world. The poet uses beautiful and evocative imagery to create a sense of wonder and awe, and to emphasize the importance of cherishing the small things in life.

One possible interpretation of the poem is that the poet is celebrating the power and beauty of the natural world. The use of imagery such as "the fragrance of the fields" and "the dew on a web" suggests that the poet is deeply connected to the natural world and finds beauty and meaning in even the smallest things. This can be seen as a statement about the importance of paying attention to the world around us and appreciating its beauty.

Another possible interpretation of the poem is that the poet is celebrating the power of memory and the importance of remembering our past. The use of imagery such as "the shadow of a brush" and "the murmur of a tree" suggests that the poet is deeply connected to her memories and finds meaning and beauty in even the most fleeting moments. This can be seen as a statement about the importance of cherishing our memories and honoring our past.

Overall, Sonnet 04: Not In This Chamber Only At My Birth is a beautiful and powerful poem that explores themes of identity, memory, and the natural world. The poet uses beautiful and evocative imagery to create a sense of wonder and awe, and to emphasize the importance of cherishing the small things in life. This is a poem that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Sonnet 04: Not In This Chamber Only At My Birth - An Analysis

Edna St. Vincent Millay, one of the most prominent poets of the 20th century, wrote a series of sonnets that explored the themes of love, death, and the human condition. Among these sonnets, Sonnet 04: Not In This Chamber Only At My Birth stands out as a powerful and poignant reflection on the nature of life and death. In this essay, we will explore the themes and imagery of this sonnet, and analyze the ways in which Millay uses language to convey her message.

The sonnet begins with the speaker reflecting on the fact that she was not born in the chamber in which she now lies. This simple statement sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it suggests that the speaker is contemplating the transience of life and the inevitability of death. The chamber, which is a symbol of the speaker's current state of being, is contrasted with the place of her birth, which represents the beginning of her life. By drawing this contrast, Millay emphasizes the idea that life is a journey that begins and ends in different places.

The second quatrain of the sonnet expands on this idea by describing the speaker's journey through life. The speaker reflects on the fact that she has traveled far and wide, and has

Editor Recommended Sites

Google Cloud Run Fan site: Tutorials and guides for Google cloud run
Coding Interview Tips - LLM and AI & Language Model interview questions: Learn the latest interview tips for the new LLM / GPT AI generative world
Prompt Composing: AutoGPT style composition of LLMs for attention focus on different parts of the problem, auto suggest and continue
Crypto Defi - Best Defi resources & Staking and Lending Defi: Defi tutorial for crypto / blockchain / smart contracts
Dev Flowcharts: Flow charts and process diagrams, architecture diagrams for cloud applications and cloud security. Mermaid and flow diagrams

Recommended Similar Analysis

In The Secular Night by Margaret Atwood analysis
UPON ROSES by Robert Herrick analysis
The Little Dog's Day by Rupert Brooke analysis
Damaetas by George Gordon, Lord Byron analysis
The Ballad Of East And West by Rudyard Kipling analysis
Vanitas Vanitatum, Omnia Vanitas by Anne Brontë analysis
Sonnet 65: Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea by William Shakespeare analysis
The Wind begun to knead the Grass by Emily Dickinson analysis
Evening Star by Edgar Allan Poe analysis
Eating Poetry by Mark Strand analysis