I was never into poetry. Came across Edna St. Vincent Millay in High School. The poems I read did nothing for me. I did remember the name, though. Then, not too long ago, I came across this poem, Travel [1921]:
The railroad track is miles away,
And the day is loud with voices speaking,
Yet there isn't a train goes by all day
But I hear its whistle shrieking.
All night there isn't a train goes by,
Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming,
But I see its cinders red on the sky,
And hear its engine steaming.
My heart is warm with the friends I make,
And better friends I'll not be knowing;
Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take,
No matter where it's going.
The last two lines describe my feelings exactly. I read more about her.
Millay never became one of my favorite poets, but she's surely one of the twentieth century's most accomplished sonnet writers, up there with Donne and Shelley and Hopkins from earlier centuries, or cummings from her own time.
I was never into poetry. Came across Edna St. Vincent Millay in High School. The poems I read did nothing for me. I did remember the name, though. Then, not too long ago, I came across this poem, Travel [1921]:
The railroad track is miles away,
And the day is loud with voices speaking,
Yet there isn't a train goes by all day
But I hear its whistle shrieking.
All night there isn't a train goes by,
Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming,
But I see its cinders red on the sky,
And hear its engine steaming.
My heart is warm with the friends I make,
And better friends I'll not be knowing;
Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take,
No matter where it's going.
The last two lines describe my feelings exactly. I read more about her.
Great poems!
Millay never became one of my favorite poets, but she's surely one of the twentieth century's most accomplished sonnet writers, up there with Donne and Shelley and Hopkins from earlier centuries, or cummings from her own time.
There's a Kenneth Rexroth anecdote in his 'Autobiographical Novel' claiming to have sex with an elderly poetess, maybe her.
She ended up married but I think it was an open marriage.