First Fig by Edna St. Vincent Millay
First Fig
Edna St. Vincent MillayMy candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!
MARGINALIA
Still melancholy. I think I have failed you, March. I promised thirty-one poems and I am nowhere near there. I was fretting about this a few weeks ago, when my father, in a rare occasion where he acknowledges the fact that I write, told me to let it go and just let things happen. You cannot force it, he tells me. You can only sit and wait and then bleed (I am still wondering now if he was quoting Hemingway). He says this so casually before turning back to his work, like nothing happened. I am still stunned.
ABOUT EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY
Edna St. Vincent Millay was born in Rockland, Maine, on February 22, 1892. In 1917, Millay published her first book, Renascence and Other Poems (Harper, 1917). She published A Few Figs from Thistles (Harper & Brothers, 1920), a volume of poetry which drew much attention for its controversial descriptions of female sexuality and feminism. In 1923, Millay was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for The Ballad of the Harp-Weaver (Flying Cloud Press, 1922). She also wrote the libretto of one of the… (more)
Read more poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay • Find books by this poet on Amazon • Bookshop • Or view my library
ENDNOTES
- Explore other works in pursuit of: mortality • passion • defiance • Or browse the index
- If this work resonates with you, please consider supporting the archive. Thank you for reading.
Michelle in NYC
Look at the blog for the mention of you in April 1st post for National Poetry month. Write on!