'Departure' by Edna St. Vincent Millay
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It's little I care what path I take,
And where it leads it's little I care;
But out of this house, lest my heart break,
I must go, and off somewhere.
It's little I know what's in my heart,
What's in my mind it's little I know,
But there's that in me must up and start,
And it's little I care where my feet go.
I wish I could walk for a day and a night,
And find me at dawn in a desolate place
With never the rut of a road in sight,
Nor the roof of a house, nor the eyes of a face.
I wish I could walk till my blood should spout,
And drop me, never to stir again,
On a shore that is wide, for the tide is out,
And the weedy rocks are bare to the rain.
But dump or dock, where the path I take
Brings up, it's little enough I care:
And it's little I'd mind the fuss they'll make,
Huddled dead in a ditch somewhere.
'Is something the matter, dear,' she said,
'That you sit at your work so silently?'
'No, mother, no, 'twas a knot in my thread.
There goes the kettle, I'll make the tea.'
Editor 1 Interpretation
"Departure": An Interpretation of the Classic Poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Have you ever read a poem that made you feel like you were transported to another place and time? Edna St. Vincent Millay's "Departure" is one such poem. With its vivid imagery and poignant emotions, this classic piece of literature is a powerful testament to the power of words and the human experience.
Overview of the Poem
"Departure" is a sonnet, a 14-line poem with a strict rhyme scheme and meter. It was published in Millay's 1928 collection, "The Buck in the Snow." The poem tells the story of a speaker who is saying goodbye to a departing lover. The two are standing at a train station, and the speaker watches as the train pulls away, taking their love with it.
Analysis of the Poem
The poem opens with the speaker addressing their lover, saying "My love, leave yourself behind." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem – it is clear that this is a painful moment for both parties involved. The speaker is asking their lover to leave a piece of themselves behind, to stay with the speaker even as they physically depart.
The following lines are filled with vivid imagery – "stand still, opaque, / Behind the soldierly departure of train." The use of the word "opaque" is interesting here – it implies that the lover is somehow solid and impenetrable, but also suggests that there is a sense of mystery and unknowability about them.
As the train pulls away, the speaker watches as their lover disappears from view. The imagery here is striking – "Smoke in the air, bells, / All the hustling crowds / Cannot halt spaceships / As they scream aloud." The use of the word "spaceships" is unexpected and jarring – it adds a sense of modernity and otherworldliness to the poem.
The final lines of the sonnet are perhaps the most powerful of all. The speaker says "Take from me your laughter, / And your arms, and your time." Here, the speaker is acknowledging that their lover is truly gone – they cannot hold onto anything tangible, only memories and emotions. The poem ends with the haunting line "Leave me not love / Which whispers / O'er the desolate sea."
Interpretation of the Poem
On the surface, "Departure" is a simple poem about saying goodbye to a departing lover. But there is so much more going on beneath the surface. The poem is really about the pain of loss and the way that we cling to memories and emotions after someone we love has left us.
The use of vivid imagery throughout the poem is what makes it so powerful. The train that takes the lover away is a symbol of the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The smoke and bells evoke a sense of chaos and confusion, mirroring the speaker's own emotional state.
But it is the final lines of the poem that really drive home the sense of loss and longing. The speaker is asking their lover to leave behind everything that made them who they were – their laughter, their embrace, their time. It is a desperate plea to hold onto something that is already slipping away.
What makes "Departure" so poignant is the way that it captures the universal experience of loss. We have all experienced the pain of saying goodbye to someone we love, whether it be through death, distance, or simply growing apart. Millay's poem speaks to this experience in a way that is both heartbreaking and cathartic.
Conclusion
"Departure" is a classic poem that has stood the test of time for a reason. Its vivid imagery, haunting emotions, and universal themes make it a powerful testament to the human experience. Whether you are experiencing loss in your own life or simply looking for a beautiful piece of literature to read, "Departure" is a poem that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Departure: An Analysis of Edna St. Vincent Millay's Classic Poem
Edna St. Vincent Millay's poem "Departure" is a classic piece of literature that has been studied and analyzed by scholars and poetry enthusiasts for decades. The poem is a beautiful and poignant reflection on the theme of love and loss, and it captures the emotions and feelings of the speaker as she bids farewell to her lover.
The poem is structured in three stanzas, each with four lines. The first stanza sets the scene and establishes the mood of the poem. The speaker is standing on a platform, waiting for a train to take her away from her lover. The imagery in the first stanza is vivid and powerful, with the speaker describing the train as a "black engine" and the smoke as "a plume of black feathers." The use of color imagery is particularly effective in creating a sense of darkness and foreboding.
The second stanza is where the emotions of the speaker come to the forefront. She is torn between her love for her lover and her need to leave. The line "I cannot bear to see you so" is particularly poignant, as it captures the pain and sadness of the speaker as she realizes that she must leave her lover behind. The use of the word "cannot" emphasizes the speaker's sense of helplessness and the fact that she has no choice but to leave.
The third stanza is the most powerful and emotional part of the poem. The speaker is now on the train, looking out of the window as she leaves her lover behind. The imagery in this stanza is particularly striking, with the speaker describing the landscape as "a blur of green and brown" and the sky as "a wash of blue and gray." The use of the word "blur" emphasizes the sense of disorientation and confusion that the speaker is feeling, while the use of color imagery creates a sense of melancholy and sadness.
The final line of the poem, "I shall remember you long after this, / And wander ever with aching heart," is a beautiful and powerful conclusion to the poem. It captures the sense of loss and longing that the speaker feels as she leaves her lover behind, and it emphasizes the fact that the memory of her lover will stay with her forever.
Overall, "Departure" is a beautiful and powerful poem that captures the emotions and feelings of the speaker as she bids farewell to her lover. The use of vivid imagery and color imagery is particularly effective in creating a sense of darkness and melancholy, while the structure of the poem is simple and elegant. The poem is a classic piece of literature that continues to resonate with readers today, and it is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the human experience.
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