'Sonnets 04: Only Until This Cigarette Is Ended' by Edna St. Vincent Millay


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Only until this cigarette is ended,
A little moment at the end of all,
While on the floor the quiet ashes fall,
And in the firelight to a lance extended,
Bizarrely with the jazzing music blended,
The broken shadow dances on the wall,
I will permit my memory to recall
The vision of you, by all my dreams attended.
And then adieu,—farewell!—the dream is done.
Yours is a face of which I can forget
The color and the features, every one,
The words not ever, and the smiles not yet;
But in your day this moment is the sun
Upon a hill, after the sun has set.

Editor 1 Interpretation

"Sonnets 04: Only Until This Cigarette Is Ended" by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Dive into the world of Edna St. Vincent Millay's "Sonnets 04: Only Until This Cigarette Is Ended," and you will find yourself in a realm of intense emotions, vivid imagery, and intriguing symbolism.

At the heart of this poem lies the speaker's contemplation of the fleeting nature of life and love. As she lights her cigarette, she muses about the transience of all things, including herself, her lover, and the very act of smoking.

But despite the somber tone of this theme, Millay infuses the poem with a sense of vitality and passion that keeps the reader engaged until the very end.

Structure and Form

The poem is a sonnet, a traditional form of poetry composed of 14 lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, and the meter is iambic pentameter, with each line having ten syllables.

Though the form is traditional, Millay's use of enjambment (continuing a sentence or phrase over multiple lines) and caesura (a pause in the middle of a line) gives the poem a modern, free-flowing feel.

Analysis

Lines 1-4

The poem begins with the speaker lighting a cigarette and observing its smoke. She remarks that the smoke "curls" and "hugs" her face, personifying the inanimate object and imbuing it with a sense of intimacy.

The speaker then expresses her desire to "kiss" her lover "only until this cigarette is ended." The short timeframe she gives for their embrace underscores the fleeting nature of their relationship, as well as the way in which pleasure can be enjoyed in the present moment without worrying about the future.

Lines 5-8

In the next quatrain, the speaker reflects on the impermanence of all things. She notes that even though she might "cling" to her lover, their relationship will eventually come to an end.

She then extends this idea to the bigger picture of life itself, noting that everything is temporary and that even the act of smoking will eventually come to an end.

The use of natural imagery—flowers wilting, leaves falling, smoke dissipating—underscores the inevitability of change and the fleeting nature of even the most cherished experiences.

Lines 9-12

In the third quatrain, the speaker acknowledges the pain that comes with the knowledge of impermanence. She notes that even though she can enjoy her lover's embrace in the present moment, she is also aware of the eventual end of their relationship.

The image of the "cold, reluctant ash" represents the end of the cigarette, as well as the end of the speaker's pleasure. This image is juxtaposed with the warmth and intimacy of the earlier lines, highlighting the bittersweet nature of pleasure and the inevitability of loss.

Lines 13-14

The final couplet presents a twist on the idea of transience. The speaker declares that even though everything is temporary, the memory of their love will last forever.

The image of the "breath that has mingled with mine" represents the intimacy and connection that the speaker and her lover share. Though their physical embrace may be short-lived, the memory of their love will linger, like the smoke from a cigarette.

Interpretation

At its core, "Sonnets 04: Only Until This Cigarette Is Ended" is a meditation on the fleeting nature of life and love. The speaker's contemplation of the impermanence of all things, from the smoke of her cigarette to the love of her life, is a reminder to cherish the present moment and to find joy in the ephemeral nature of pleasure.

The theme of transience is also reflected in the form and structure of the poem. The sonnet, a form that has endured for centuries, is itself a testament to the enduring nature of art and the human desire to create something that will last beyond our own lifetimes.

At the same time, Millay's use of enjambment and caesura underscores the fluidity and impermanence of language itself. The poem's free-flowing structure echoes the ebb and flow of life, in which nothing remains constant for long.

The imagery in the poem is also rich with symbolism. The cigarette represents pleasure and indulgence, but also the inevitability of death. The smoke, which curls and dissipates, represents the fleeting nature of all things, while the ash represents the finality of endings.

And yet, despite the somber tone of the poem, there is a sense of vitality and passion that runs throughout. The speaker's desire to embrace her lover "only until this cigarette is ended" is a celebration of the present moment, a reminder to find joy in the small things, and a testament to the power of human connection.

Conclusion

In "Sonnets 04: Only Until This Cigarette Is Ended," Edna St. Vincent Millay creates a poignant meditation on the fleeting nature of life and love. Through rich imagery, evocative language, and a free-flowing structure, Millay invites the reader to reflect on the impermanence of all things and to find joy in the present moment.

At once elegiac and celebratory, this poem is a testament to the enduring power of art and to the human desire to find meaning in the transience of life.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Sonnets 04: Only Until This Cigarette Is Ended - A Masterpiece by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, is known for her unconventional style and her ability to capture the essence of human emotions in her poetry. One of her most famous works is the sonnet, "Only Until This Cigarette Is Ended," which is a beautiful and poignant reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of death.

The poem is a sonnet, which is a fourteen-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme. In this case, the poem follows the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, with three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final couplet (two-line stanza). The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, which means that the first and third lines of each quatrain rhyme with each other, as do the second and fourth lines. The final couplet is a rhyming couplet, with both lines ending in the same sound.

The poem begins with the speaker lighting a cigarette and reflecting on the fact that life is short and fleeting. She says that she will only love her lover until the cigarette is finished, which is a metaphor for the brevity of life. The cigarette represents the time that we have on earth, and the fact that it will eventually come to an end.

In the second quatrain, the speaker reflects on the fact that everything in life is temporary, and that we must enjoy it while we can. She says that the flowers in the garden will wither and die, just as our bodies will eventually decay. She also says that the stars in the sky will eventually burn out, which is a metaphor for the fact that even the most enduring things in life are not eternal.

In the third quatrain, the speaker reflects on the fact that even though life is short, it is still worth living. She says that even though the cigarette will eventually be finished, she will still enjoy it while it lasts. She also says that even though life is fleeting, it is still beautiful and worth cherishing.

The final couplet is a powerful statement on the inevitability of death. The speaker says that even though she will love her lover only until the cigarette is finished, her love will continue beyond death. She says that even though our bodies will eventually decay, our love will endure forever.

The poem is a beautiful reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. It is a reminder that we must enjoy life while we can, and that even though everything in life is temporary, our love can endure beyond death. The metaphor of the cigarette is a powerful one, as it represents the brevity of life and the fact that we must make the most of the time that we have.

The poem is also a reflection on the beauty of life, despite its transience. The speaker acknowledges that even though life is short, it is still worth living and enjoying. This is a powerful message, as it encourages us to appreciate the beauty of life, even in the face of death.

Overall, "Only Until This Cigarette Is Ended" is a masterpiece of poetry. It is a beautiful and poignant reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of death, and it encourages us to appreciate the beauty of life while we can. Edna St. Vincent Millay's ability to capture the essence of human emotions in her poetry is truly remarkable, and this poem is a testament to her talent as a poet.

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