'Sweet Love, Sweet Thorn, When Lightly To My Heart' by Edna St. Vincent Millay

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Sweet love, sweet thorn, when lightly to my heart
I took your thrust, whereby I since am slain,
And lie disheveled in the grass apart,
A sodden thing bedrenched by tears and rain,
While rainy evening drips to misty night,
And misty night to cloudy morning clears,
And clouds disperse across the gathering light,
And birds grow noisy, and the sun appears
Had I bethought me then, sweet love, sweet thorn,
How sharp an anguish even at the best,
When all's requited and the future sworn,
The happy Hour can leave within the breast,
I had not so come running at the call
Of one who loves me little, if at all.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Sweet Love, Sweet Thorn, When Lightly To My Heart

Edna St. Vincent Millay is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century. Her poetry is characterized by its rich use of language, vivid imagery, and emotional depth. In her poem Sweet Love, Sweet Thorn, When Lightly To My Heart, Millay explores the complex and often contradictory nature of love.

At its core, Sweet Love, Sweet Thorn, When Lightly To My Heart is a love poem. It speaks of the joys and pains of falling in love, of the desire to be close to someone, and the fear of being hurt. But Millay's approach to the subject is far from sentimental or clichéd. Instead, she uses startling images and a bold, direct language to capture the raw emotions of love.

The first line of the poem, "Sweet love, sweet thorn, when lightly to my heart," sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The use of "sweet" to describe both love and thorn is intriguing. It suggests that love can be both a source of pleasure and pain, that the two are intertwined. This duality is further emphasized in the following lines:

To move a down a warren with thy head
Shot with the silver needle of the moon,
And pick the leaping stars and catch them soon

Here, Millay uses the image of a rabbit warren to represent the twists and turns of love. The speaker longs to explore this maze with her lover, to search for the stars together. The use of the moon's "silver needle" as a poetic device is enchanting. It is a beautiful metaphor for the light that guides and directs us. Just as the moon's light guides us through the darkness of the night, love guides us through the twists and turns of life.

But Millay's exploration of love is not limited to its joys. She also delves into the fear and uncertainty that often accompany it. In the lines:

And keep the black truth secret in thy breast,
And through the hollow of thine eyes express
The utter fraud that is thy heart's unrest

Millay speaks of the fear of being deceived by a lover. She acknowledges that love can be a source of pain and betrayal. The "black truth" that must be kept secret suggests that there are hidden aspects of our selves that we are afraid to reveal to others. In this context, it is the fear of being vulnerable and exposed to the potential pain of love.

The use of the word "fraud" in the line "The utter fraud that is thy heart's unrest" is particularly striking. It suggests that we are all deceiving ourselves to some extent when it comes to love. We pretend to be someone we are not, to hide our true selves from others out of fear of being judged or rejected.

But despite the fear and uncertainty that love can bring, Millay ultimately celebrates its transformative power. In the lines:

And with thy feet dance down the dusty hours,
And with thy heart recall the broken flowers

She speaks of the way that love can lift us out of the mundane and the ordinary, that it can give us a sense of purpose and meaning. The "dusty hours" represent the drudgery of everyday life, the routine that can make us feel trapped and unfulfilled. But when we are in love, we are able to transcend this, to dance with joy and enthusiasm. The "broken flowers" that are recalled by the heart represent the pain and loss that we all experience in life. But love has the power to heal these wounds, to help us see the beauty in the brokenness.

In conclusion, Sweet Love, Sweet Thorn, When Lightly To My Heart is a remarkable poem that captures the complexity and contradictions of love. Millay uses vivid imagery and a direct, powerful language to explore the joys and pains of falling in love, the fear of being hurt, and the transformative power of love. It is a poem that speaks to the heart and to the soul, and reminds us of the beauty and mystery of this most essential human emotion.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Sweet Love, Sweet Thorn, When Lightly To My Heart: A Poetic Masterpiece by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, known for her lyrical and poignant works that explore themes of love, death, and the human condition. Among her many masterpieces, Sweet Love, Sweet Thorn, When Lightly To My Heart stands out as a shining example of her poetic genius, capturing the essence of love and its bittersweet nature in a few short lines.

At first glance, the poem appears to be a simple love poem, with the speaker expressing her feelings for her beloved. However, upon closer examination, the poem reveals a deeper layer of meaning, exploring the paradoxical nature of love and its ability to both heal and hurt.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing her beloved, using the endearing term "sweet love" to express her affection. This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, establishing the theme of love and its many facets. The use of the word "sweet" also suggests that the speaker sees love as something pleasurable and desirable, a sentiment that is reinforced throughout the poem.

However, the second line introduces a contrasting image, that of the "sweet thorn" that lightly pricks the speaker's heart. This image is significant because it suggests that love, while sweet and desirable, can also be painful and even dangerous. The use of the word "thorn" also suggests that love can be prickly and difficult to handle, further emphasizing the paradoxical nature of the emotion.

The third line of the poem, "When lightly to my heart his pinions cling," introduces the image of wings, which is significant because it suggests that love can lift us up and carry us to new heights. The use of the word "cling" also suggests a sense of attachment and intimacy, further emphasizing the speaker's deep feelings for her beloved.

The fourth line, "And all my doubts are put to flight like dust," reinforces the idea that love can be a powerful force that can overcome even the most persistent doubts and fears. The use of the word "flight" also suggests a sense of freedom and release, further emphasizing the transformative power of love.

The final line of the poem, "Sweet love, sweet thorn, when lightly to my heart," brings the poem full circle, repeating the opening line and reinforcing the theme of love and its paradoxical nature. The use of the word "lightly" also suggests that love can be fleeting and delicate, further emphasizing the fragility of the emotion.

Overall, Sweet Love, Sweet Thorn, When Lightly To My Heart is a masterful exploration of the many facets of love and its ability to both heal and hurt. Through the use of vivid imagery and lyrical language, Edna St. Vincent Millay captures the essence of love in all its complexity, leaving the reader with a deep appreciation for the power of this most elusive of emotions.

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