'What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why (Sonnet XLIII)' by Edna St. Vincent Millay
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What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why,
I have forgotten, and what arms have lain
Under my head till morning; but the rain
Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh
Upon the glass and listen for reply,
And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain
For unremembered lads that not again
Will turn to me at midnight with a cry.
Thus in winter stands the lonely tree,
Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one,
Yet knows its boughs more silent than before:
I cannot say what loves have come and gone,
I only know that summer sang in me
A little while, that in me sings no more.
Editor 1 Interpretation
"What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why": A Poem That Evokes the Transience of Love
Introduction
Edna St. Vincent Millay's "What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why" is a sonnet that captures the speaker's sense of loss and longing for past lovers. Through the use of vivid imagery and sensory details, the poem evokes a feeling of nostalgia and regret for a love that has passed. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the themes of love, loss, and transience in the poem, as well as the formal elements that contribute to its emotional impact.
Form and Structure
The poem is a sonnet, a traditional form in which a single idea or emotion is explored through fourteen lines. The rhyme scheme is ABBA ABBA CDCDCD, with a volta, or turn, at the ninth line. The volta is a crucial element in sonnets, as it marks a shift in tone or perspective. In "What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why," the volta marks the transition from the speaker's nostalgic recollection of past lovers to her present sense of isolation and despair.
The sonnet's formal structure contributes to its emotional impact, as the strict rhyme and meter enhance the poem's musicality and give it a sense of inevitability. The repetition of the ABBA ABBA rhyme scheme in the octet creates a sense of tension and anticipation, which is released in the sestet with the CDCDCD rhyme scheme. The poem's iambic pentameter rhythm also contributes to its musicality, as well as its sense of inevitability and finality.
Themes
The poem's central theme is the transience of love, and the speaker's sense of loss and longing for past lovers. The opening line, "What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why," sets the tone for the poem, as the speaker begins to recount her past loves and the memories associated with them. The repetition of "lips" emphasizes the physicality of love, and the fragility of its pleasures.
Throughout the poem, the speaker reflects on the impermanence of love, and the fleeting nature of human connections. She describes her past lovers as "ghosts" and "shadows," suggesting that they exist only in memory, and that the physical connections she once had with them have been lost. The imagery of the "wind" and the "rain" further emphasizes the transience of love, as these natural elements erode even the most enduring human connections.
Another theme that emerges in the poem is the idea of isolation and loneliness. The speaker describes herself as a "solitary" figure, haunted by memories of past lovers that she can never recover. The contrast between the rich sensory details of the past, and the drab reality of the present, highlights the speaker's sense of isolation and despair.
Imagery and Figurative Language
The poem is rich in sensory details and figurative language, which contribute to its emotional impact. The use of synecdoche, or the use of a part to represent the whole, is especially effective in conveying the speaker's sense of loss and longing. The repeated use of "lips" to represent past lovers emphasizes the physicality of love, while also suggesting that these lovers exist only in memory.
The imagery of the "unremembered lads" and "unhappy ghosts" creates a haunting atmosphere, as the speaker reflects on the ephemeral nature of human connections. The metaphor of the "rain on the roof" suggests the erosion of memory and the fading away of past loves. The imagery of the "wind" further emphasizes the idea of transience, as it carries away the speaker's memories and leaves her feeling isolated and alone.
Tone and Mood
The poem's tone is wistful and nostalgic, as the speaker reflects on past loves and the memories associated with them. The repetition of "where, and why" creates a sense of longing and yearning for the past, as the speaker tries to recapture the pleasures of love that have been lost. The volta at the ninth line creates a shift in tone, as the speaker's sense of isolation and despair becomes more pronounced.
The poem's mood is melancholic and somber, as the speaker reflects on the transience of love and the impermanence of human connections. The contrast between the rich sensory details of the past and the drab reality of the present creates a sense of loss and longing, as the speaker realizes that the pleasures of love are fleeting and ephemeral.
Conclusion
In "What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why," Edna St. Vincent Millay captures the transience of love and the speaker's sense of loss and longing for past lovers. Through the use of vivid imagery and sensory details, the poem evokes a feeling of nostalgia and regret for a love that has passed. The strict rhyme and meter of the sonnet contribute to its emotional impact, as do the repeated use of synecdoche and the metaphor of the "rain on the roof." Ultimately, the poem suggests that the pleasures of love are fleeting and ephemeral, and that human connections are always vulnerable to the erosive forces of time and memory.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why (Sonnet XLIII) by Edna St. Vincent Millay is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a sonnet that speaks of love, loss, and the passing of time. The poem is a reflection on the speaker's past relationships and the memories that they have left behind. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and language used in the poem.
The poem is a sonnet, which is a fourteen-line poem that follows a specific rhyme scheme. In this case, the poem follows the traditional Shakespearean sonnet rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem is divided into two quatrains and a sestet. The first quatrain sets the scene and introduces the theme of the poem. The second quatrain explores the memories of the speaker's past relationships. The sestet concludes the poem with a reflection on the speaker's current state of mind.
The poem begins with the line, "What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem. It is a reflection on the speaker's past relationships and the memories that they have left behind. The speaker is looking back on their life and wondering where all of their past lovers have gone. The line is repeated at the beginning of the second quatrain, emphasizing the importance of the memories that the speaker is reflecting on.
The second quatrain explores the memories of the speaker's past relationships. The speaker remembers the "ghosts" of their past lovers and the places where they used to go together. The speaker remembers the "quiet nights" and the "wild nights" that they shared. The memories are bittersweet, as the speaker realizes that they can never go back to those times. The repetition of the first line of the poem emphasizes the importance of these memories to the speaker.
The sestet concludes the poem with a reflection on the speaker's current state of mind. The speaker realizes that they are alone and that their past lovers are gone. The memories of their past relationships are all that they have left. The speaker wonders if they will ever find love again. The final line of the poem, "I only know that summer sang in me a little while, that in me sings no more," emphasizes the passing of time and the loss of youth.
The theme of the poem is the passing of time and the loss of youth. The speaker is reflecting on their past relationships and the memories that they have left behind. The memories are bittersweet, as the speaker realizes that they can never go back to those times. The passing of time is emphasized throughout the poem, as the speaker reflects on the "ghosts" of their past lovers and the places where they used to go together. The final line of the poem emphasizes the passing of time and the loss of youth.
The language used in the poem is simple and straightforward. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which is a common meter in poetry. The language is poetic, but not overly complex. The repetition of the first line of the poem emphasizes the importance of the memories to the speaker. The use of the word "ghosts" to describe the memories of the speaker's past lovers is effective, as it conveys the idea that these memories are haunting the speaker. The use of the word "summer" in the final line of the poem is effective, as it conveys the idea of youth and vitality.
In conclusion, What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why (Sonnet XLIII) by Edna St. Vincent Millay is a classic poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and the passing of time. The poem is a reflection on the speaker's past relationships and the memories that they have left behind. The repetition of the first line of the poem emphasizes the importance of these memories to the speaker. The language used in the poem is simple and straightforward, but effective in conveying the themes of the poem. The final line of the poem emphasizes the passing of time and the loss of youth. This poem is a timeless reflection on the human experience of love and loss.
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