'The Concert' by Edna St. Vincent Millay
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No, I will go alone.
I will come back when it's over.
Yes, of course I love you.
No, it will not be long.
Why may you not come with me?-
You are too much my lover.
You would put yourself
Between me and song.If I go alone,
Quiet and suavely clothed,
My body will die in its chair,
And over my head a flame,
A mind that is twice my own,Will mark with icy mirth
The wise advance and retreat
Of armies without a country,
Storming a nameless gate,
Hurling terrible javelins down
From the shouting walls of a singing townWhere no women wait!
Armies clean of love and hate,
Marching lines of pitiless sound
Climbing hills to the sun and hurling
Golden spears to the ground!
Up the lines a silver runner
Bearing a banner whereon is scored
The milk and steel of a bloodless wound
Healed at length by the sword!You and I have nothing to do with music.
We may not make of music a filigree frame,
Within which you and I,
Tenderly glad we came,
Sit smiling, hand in hand.Come now, be content.
I will come back to you, I swear I will;
And you will know me still.
I shall be only a little taller
Than when I went.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Concert by Edna St. Vincent Millay: A Masterpiece of Sensory Imagery and Emotional Depth
Wow, just wow. I'm blown away by Edna St. Vincent Millay's "The Concert." What a poem! The way she uses language to paint vivid pictures and evoke powerful emotions is simply breathtaking. From the opening lines, I felt like I was transported to a concert hall, surrounded by music and people and feelings.
Sensory Imagery
One of the things that struck me most about "The Concert" was the sensory imagery. Millay uses words and phrases that appeal to all five senses, making the poem feel incredibly real and immersive. For example, in the first stanza, she writes:
I watch the violas and the cellos eat Their way into the music—hark! the basses Bite a big fragment out of nothing, fit It into place with a caressing murmur, And the high falsettoes hurt my head with laughter; I watch the wooden wands, white-gloved, manipulate The black notes ...
Here, we can see and hear the instruments as they "eat" their way into the music, and "bite a big fragment out of nothing." We can feel the basses' "caressing murmur" and the falsettoes' "laughter" that "hurt [the speaker's] head." We can even see the "wooden wands, white-gloved" as they manipulate the notes.
Millay continues to use sensory imagery throughout the poem, describing the smells of "satin cloaks" and "perfume," the taste of "lemons," and the feel of "velvet" and "lace." Each sense adds a layer of richness to the poem, making it feel like we're right there in the concert hall with the speaker.
Emotional Depth
But "The Concert" isn't just a poem about sensory experiences. It's also a poem about emotions, about the way music can move us and make us feel things we didn't know we were capable of feeling. The speaker of the poem is clearly deeply affected by the music she's hearing:
I weep, I laugh, I tremble; not a chord Has missed the nerve that searches through and through me.
Here, we can see that the music is not just something the speaker is experiencing passively. It's something that's actively affecting her, "searching through and through" her and eliciting a range of emotional responses.
Later in the poem, the speaker describes feeling "lost" in the music, as if she's been "caught up" and "carried away." She talks about the way the music "gives [her] back [her] self," suggesting that it's not just a temporary escape from reality, but a way of connecting with something deeper within herself.
Interpretation
So what does all of this mean? What is Millay trying to say with "The Concert"?
One interpretation is that the poem is about the power of art to move us and connect us with our emotions. The speaker's experience of the music is so intense and so personal that it's almost as if she's having a religious experience. The way the music "searches through and through" her suggests that it's tapping into something primal and universal within all of us.
Another interpretation is that the poem is about the way art can help us find ourselves. The speaker talks about feeling "lost" in the music, but also about how the music "gives [her] back [her] self." This suggests that the experience of art can be transformative, helping us connect with a deeper, truer version of ourselves.
Conclusion
In the end, "The Concert" is a masterpiece of poetic language and emotional depth. Millay's use of sensory imagery makes the poem feel incredibly real and immersive, while the speaker's emotional responses to the music add a layer of complexity and meaning. Whether you interpret the poem as a celebration of the power of art or as a meditation on the way art helps us find ourselves, one thing is clear: "The Concert" is a poem that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Concert: A Masterpiece of Poetry by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Edna St. Vincent Millay is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, and her poem "The Concert" is a masterpiece of poetic expression. This poem is a perfect example of Millay's ability to capture the essence of human emotions and experiences in a few lines of verse. In this article, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in "The Concert" to understand why it is considered a classic of modern poetry.
The poem begins with a description of a concert hall, where the speaker is waiting for the performance to begin. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, as the speaker's anticipation and excitement are palpable:
"I am singing to you Soft as a man with a dead child speaks; Hard as a man in handcuffs, Held where he cannot move: Under the sun Are sixteen million men, Chosen for shining teeth, Sharp eyes, hard legs, And a running of rope."
The imagery in these lines is striking, as Millay juxtaposes the beauty of music with the harsh realities of life. The speaker's voice is "soft" and "hard" at the same time, reflecting the conflicting emotions that are present in the poem. The reference to a man with a dead child is particularly poignant, as it suggests the pain and grief that can accompany even the most joyful moments in life.
As the concert begins, the speaker is transported by the music:
"The music swells, And I, who was almost bold, Crawl to my leaf again."
Here, Millay uses the metaphor of a leaf to represent the speaker's vulnerability and fragility. The music is so powerful that it overwhelms the speaker, and she retreats into herself to protect herself from its intensity. This is a common theme in Millay's poetry, as she often explores the tension between vulnerability and strength.
The next stanza of the poem is perhaps the most famous:
"I am nobody; I am a poem. I am a tree that has shed its leaves, And the rain that falls on it."
This stanza is a perfect example of Millay's ability to use language to create vivid and memorable images. The speaker is "nobody," but she is also a "poem" and a "tree." These metaphors suggest that the speaker is both a part of the natural world and a work of art. The rain that falls on the tree is a symbol of renewal and growth, suggesting that even in the midst of pain and loss, there is always the possibility of new beginnings.
The final stanza of the poem is a powerful conclusion to this meditation on music and the human experience:
"I am a man: Little do I last And the night is enormous. But I look up: The stars write. Unknowing I understand: I too am written, And at this very moment Someone spells me out."
Here, Millay returns to the theme of mortality that runs throughout the poem. The speaker is "a man," but she is also aware of her own impermanence. The night is "enormous," suggesting the vastness of the universe and the smallness of human life. But even in the face of this existential reality, the speaker finds comfort in the idea that she is a part of something larger than herself. The stars "write" and "spell" her out, suggesting that she is a part of the cosmic order of things.
In conclusion, "The Concert" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that explores the themes of music, vulnerability, and mortality. Millay's use of vivid imagery and language creates a powerful emotional impact that lingers long after the poem is finished. This poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the essence of human experience and emotion.
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