'The Blue-Flag In The Bog' by Edna St. Vincent Millay
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God had called us, and we came;
Our loved Earth to ashes left;
Heaven was a neighbor's house,
Open to us, bereft.
Gay the lights of Heaven showed,
And 'twas God who walked ahead;
Yet I wept along the road,
Wanting my own house instead.
Wept unseen, unheeded cried,
"All you things my eyes have kissed,
Fare you well! We meet no more,
Lovely, lovely tattered mist!
Weary wings that rise and fall
All day long above the fire!"—
Red with heat was every wall,
Rough with heat was every wire—
"Fare you well, you little winds
That the flying embers chase!
Fare you well, you shuddering day,
With your hands before your face!
And, ah, blackened by strange blight,
Or to a false sun unfurled,
Now forevermore goodbye,
All the gardens in the world!
On the windless hills of Heaven,
That I have no wish to see,
White, eternal lilies stand,
By a lake of ebony.
But the Earth forevermore
Is a place where nothing grows,—
Dawn will come, and no bud break;
Evening, and no blossom close.
Spring will come, and wander slow
Over an indifferent land,
Stand beside an empty creek,
Hold a dead seed in her hand."
God had called us, and we came,
But the blessed road I trod
Was a bitter road to me,
And at heart I questioned God.
"Though in Heaven," I said, "be all
That the heart would most desire,
Held Earth naught save souls of sinners
Worth the saving from a fire?
Withered grass,—the wasted growing!
Aimless ache of laden boughs!"
Little things God had forgotten
Called me, from my burning house.
"Though in Heaven," I said, "be all
That the eye could ask to see,
All the things I ever knew
Are this blaze in back of me."
"Though in Heaven," I said, "be all
That the ear could think to lack,
All the things I ever knew
Are this roaring at my back."
It was God who walked ahead,
Like a shepherd to the fold;
In his footsteps fared the weak,
And the weary and the old,
Glad enough of gladness over,
Ready for the peace to be,—
But a thing God had forgotten
Was the growing bones of me.
And I drew a bit apart,
And I lagged a bit behind,
And I thought on Peace Eternal,
Lest He look into my mind:
And I gazed upon the sky,
And I thought of Heavenly Rest,—
And I slipped away like water
Through the fingers of the blest!
All their eyes were fixed on Glory,
Not a glance brushed over me;
"Alleluia! Alleluia!"
Up the road,—and I was free.
And my heart rose like a freshet,
And it swept me on before,
Giddy as a whirling stick,
Till I felt the earth once more.
All the earth was charred and black,
Fire had swept from pole to pole;
And the bottom of the sea
Was as brittle as a bowl;
And the timbered mountain-top
Was as naked as a skull,—
Nothing left, nothing left,
Of the Earth so beautiful!
"Earth," I said, "how can I leave you?"
"You are all I have," I said;
"What is left to take my mind up,
Living always, and you dead?"
"Speak!" I said, "Oh, tell me something!
Make a sign that I can see!
For a keepsake! To keep always!
Quick!—before God misses me!"
And I listened for a voice;—
But my heart was all I heard;
Not a screech-owl, not a loon,
Not a tree-toad said a word.
And I waited for a sign;—
Coals and cinders, nothing more;
And a little cloud of smoke
Floating on a valley floor.
And I peered into the smoke
Till it rotted, like a fog:—
There, encompassed round by fire,
Stood a blue-flag in a bog!
Little flames came wading out,
Straining, straining towards its stem,
But it was so blue and tall
That it scorned to think of them!
Red and thirsty were their tongues,
As the tongues of wolves must be,
But it was so blue and tall—
Oh, I laughed, I cried, to see!
All my heart became a tear,
All my soul became a tower,
Never loved I anything
As I loved that tall blue flower!
It was all the little boats
That had ever sailed the sea,
It was all the little books
That had gone to school with me;
On its roots like iron claws
Rearing up so blue and tall,—
It was all the gallant Earth
With its back against a wall!
In a breath, ere I had breathed,—
Oh, I laughed, I cried, to see!—
I was kneeling at its side,
And it leaned its head on me!
Crumbling stones and sliding sand
Is the road to Heaven now;
Icy at my straining knees
Drags the awful under-tow;
Soon but stepping-stones of dust
Will the road to Heaven be,—
Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
Reach a hand and rescue me!
"There—there, my blue-flag flower;
Hush—hush—go to sleep;
That is only God you hear,
Counting up His folded sheep!
Lullabye—lullabye—
That is only God that calls,
Missing me, seeking me,
Ere the road to nothing falls!
He will set His mighty feet
Firmly on the sliding sand;
Like a little frightened bird
I will creep into His hand;
I will tell Him all my grief,
I will tell Him all my sin;
He will give me half His robe
For a cloak to wrap you in.
Lullabye—lullabye—"
Rocks the burnt-out planet free!—
Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
Reach a hand and rescue me!
Ah, the voice of love at last!
Lo, at last the face of light!
And the whole of His white robe
For a cloak against the night!
And upon my heart asleep
All the things I ever knew!—
"Holds Heaven not some cranny, Lord,
For a flower so tall and blue?"
All's well and all's well!
Gay the lights of Heaven show!
In some moist and Heavenly place
We will set it out to grow.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Blue-Flag In The Bog: A Deep Dive into Edna St. Vincent Millay’s Poem
Have you ever read a poem and felt like you’ve been transported to another place, another time? Have you ever wondered how a poet can capture so much meaning, so much emotion in just a few lines? If you have, then you’ll understand why I’m so excited to write about “The Blue-Flag In The Bog” by Edna St. Vincent Millay.
This poem is just fourteen lines long, but it’s packed with imagery, metaphor, and symbolism. It’s a poem that speaks to the heart and soul, a poem that invites you to explore the depths of your own thoughts and feelings.
So, let’s dive in and explore this beautiful piece of literature together.
Context
Before we get into the poem itself, let’s talk a little bit about Edna St. Vincent Millay. She was an American poet and playwright who lived from 1892 to 1950. Millay was a prolific writer who published several collections of poetry, including “Renascence and Other Poems,” which gained her national fame.
Millay was known for her lyrical and romantic poetry, which often explored themes of love, nature, and death. She was also a feminist and an advocate for social justice, which is reflected in some of her later works.
Now that we know a little bit about the poet, let’s move on to the poem itself.
The Poem
The blue-flag in the bog, in the bog, The blue-flag in the bog, And soldiers marching by, and by, And the wind tugging my hair.
The bog is black and spongy, The blue-flag is sadder than blue, Nobody knows where the soldier is going, And I want to go with you.
Right away, we’re transported to a specific setting – a bog. Millay uses repetition to emphasize the blue-flag that’s growing in the bog. The blue-flag is a type of iris, and the color blue is often associated with sadness, which could be a metaphor for the speaker’s emotions.
The soldiers marching by create a sense of movement and urgency. It’s as if the speaker is watching life pass her by while she remains stuck in the bog. The wind tugging her hair adds to the sense of movement and provides a sensory element to the poem.
The description of the bog as “black and spongy” creates a sense of darkness and gloom. The blue-flag is “sadder than blue,” which could be seen as a reflection of the speaker’s own sadness.
The line “Nobody knows where the soldier is going” is particularly poignant. It speaks to the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. The speaker wants to go with him, which could be interpreted as a desire for adventure or a desire to escape the sadness and monotony of the bog.
Interpretation
So, what does this poem mean? As with any work of literature, there are multiple interpretations.
One interpretation is that the blue-flag and the soldiers represent the passing of time. The bog could be seen as a metaphor for the speaker’s life, which is stagnant and unchanging. The soldiers marching by represent the passage of time, and the uncertainty of where they’re going speaks to the unpredictability of life.
The line “And I want to go with you” could be interpreted as a desire for the speaker to move forward and experience new things. It’s a desire to escape the monotony of life and embrace the unknown.
Another interpretation is that the blue-flag and the soldiers represent the speaker’s emotions. The blue-flag could represent sadness, and the soldiers could represent the passage of time and the various emotions that come with it. The wind tugging the speaker’s hair could be seen as a metaphor for the unpredictable nature of emotions.
The line “And I want to go with you” could represent a desire for the speaker’s emotions to change, to move past the sadness and experience something new.
Conclusion
“The Blue-Flag In The Bog” is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem. It’s a poem that speaks to the human experience and the desire for something more.
Millay’s use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism creates a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. The repetition of the blue-flag and the soldiers creates a sense of movement and urgency, while the description of the bog creates a sense of darkness and gloom.
The poem can be interpreted in a number of ways, but ultimately it speaks to the desire for change and the uncertainty of life. It’s a poem that invites the reader to explore their own emotions and desires.
In conclusion, “The Blue-Flag In The Bog” is a timeless piece of literature that continues to resonate with readers today. It’s a poem that reminds us of the beauty and complexity of life, and the importance of embracing the unknown.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Blue-Flag In The Bog: A Masterpiece of Nature Poetry
Edna St. Vincent Millay, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, wrote a plethora of poems that captured the essence of nature and its beauty. Among her many works, "The Blue-Flag In The Bog" stands out as a masterpiece of nature poetry. This poem is a perfect example of Millay's ability to use vivid imagery and metaphors to convey the beauty and fragility of nature.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a blue-flag flower growing in a bog. The blue-flag is a type of iris that grows in wetlands and is known for its striking blue color. The speaker marvels at the flower's beauty, describing it as "a blue mist on the bog." The use of the word "mist" creates a sense of ethereal beauty, as if the flower is not quite of this world.
As the poem progresses, the speaker begins to contemplate the fragility of the blue-flag and the ecosystem in which it grows. The bog is described as "a treacherous place," and the speaker notes that the blue-flag is "alone in its own green shade." This creates a sense of isolation and vulnerability for the flower. The bog is not a hospitable environment, and the blue-flag is the only plant that can survive there. This makes it all the more precious and fragile.
The speaker then goes on to describe the other creatures that inhabit the bog, such as the "sly snake" and the "sullen newt." These creatures are not friendly or welcoming, and the speaker notes that they "hate the blue-flag." This creates a sense of danger and hostility in the bog, and emphasizes the blue-flag's vulnerability.
Despite the dangers of the bog, the speaker notes that the blue-flag continues to bloom year after year. This creates a sense of resilience and perseverance for the flower. It is a survivor, able to thrive in a hostile environment. The speaker notes that the blue-flag is "a thing of beauty and a joy forever," echoing the famous line from John Keats' poem "Endymion." This emphasizes the timeless beauty of the blue-flag and its importance in the ecosystem.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful. The speaker notes that the blue-flag is "a symbol of love and of light." This creates a sense of hope and optimism in the poem. Despite the dangers and hostility of the bog, the blue-flag continues to bloom, a symbol of love and light in a dark and treacherous place. The speaker notes that "the blue-flag shall never die," emphasizing the eternal nature of the flower's beauty and importance.
Overall, "The Blue-Flag In The Bog" is a masterpiece of nature poetry. Millay's use of vivid imagery and metaphors creates a sense of beauty and fragility in the blue-flag and the ecosystem in which it grows. The poem emphasizes the importance of the blue-flag and its resilience in the face of danger and hostility. It is a symbol of hope and optimism in a dark and treacherous place, and a reminder of the eternal beauty of nature.
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