'Sonnets 05: Once More Into My Arid Days Like Dew' by Edna St. Vincent Millay

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Once more into my arid days like dew,
Like wind from an oasis, or the sound
Of cold sweet water bubbling underground,
A treacherous messenger, the thought of you
Comes to destroy me; once more I renew
Firm faith in your abundance, whom I found
Long since to be but just one other mound
Of sand, whereon no green thing ever grew.
And once again, and wiser in no wise,
I chase your colored phantom on the air,
And sob and curse and fall and weep and rise
And stumble pitifully on to where,
Miserable and lost, with stinging eyes,
Once more I clasp,-and there is nothing there.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Sonnets 05: Once More Into My Arid Days Like Dew by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Oh, poetry! What a beautiful art form it is! And what better way to appreciate its beauty than to delve into one of the most captivating sonnets in literary history - Sonnets 05: Once More Into My Arid Days Like Dew, written by the remarkable Edna St. Vincent Millay.

Background

Edna St. Vincent Millay was an American poet and playwright, born on February 22, 1892, in Rockland, Maine. She was the eldest of three daughters and grew up in a financially unstable household. Despite the financial difficulties, Millay was determined to pursue her passion for the written word. She attended Vassar College on a scholarship and became well-known for her poetry while still in college.

Millay's poetry was often characterized by its lyrical quality and its use of traditional forms such as the sonnet. She was also known for her feminist views and her unconventional lifestyle. Millay was married twice, and both of her marriages were to men who were significantly younger than she was.

Analysis

In Sonnets 05: Once More Into My Arid Days Like Dew, Millay writes about the feeling of being lost and alone. She compares herself to a desert, saying that her days are arid and empty. However, she also says that the memory of a past love is like dew on her parched lips, bringing her some relief.

The poem is written in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet, with a rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef gg. This form was popular in the Renaissance, and Millay uses it to great effect in this poem. The sonnet's strict structure allows Millay to convey her thoughts and emotions in a concise and powerful way.

Millay's use of metaphor is particularly striking in this poem. She compares herself to a "thirsty plant," emphasizing her need for emotional nourishment. She also describes her days as "arid," which conveys a sense of emptiness and despair. The use of these metaphors creates a vivid image in the reader's mind, making the poem all the more memorable.

The use of imagery is another important aspect of this poem. Millay's description of the dew on her lips is particularly striking. The image of the dew brings to mind a sense of freshness and renewal, which is in stark contrast to the arid desert she describes earlier in the poem. This contrast emphasizes the relief that the memory of a past love brings to the speaker.

The poem is also notable for its use of repetition. The phrase "once more" is repeated twice in the poem, emphasizing the speaker's longing to relive a past experience. The repetition of this phrase also highlights the cyclical nature of the speaker's emotions, as she finds herself once again in a state of emotional emptiness.

Interpretation

So what does this poem mean? Well, to me, it speaks to the universal human experience of feeling lost and alone. We all have times in our lives when we feel like we're wandering through a desert, with no sense of direction or purpose. And yet, even in these moments of despair, there is often some memory or experience that brings us comfort.

For the speaker in this poem, that memory is the memory of a past love. The memory of this love is like dew on her parched lips, providing some relief from the emotional emptiness she is experiencing. The poem suggests that even in our darkest moments, there is always something to hold onto, some memory or experience that can provide us with comfort and solace.

The poem also speaks to the cyclical nature of our emotions. The speaker finds herself once again in a state of emotional emptiness, despite having experienced love in the past. This suggests that our emotions are not static or fixed, but rather they ebb and flow like the tides.

Finally, the poem can be read as a commentary on the nature of memory itself. Memories are often elusive and fleeting, yet they have the power to shape our emotions and experiences. The memory of a past love is like a drop of dew on the speaker's lips, providing some relief from the emotional desert she finds herself in.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Sonnets 05: Once More Into My Arid Days Like Dew is a powerful and moving poem that speaks to the universal human experience of feeling lost and alone. Edna St. Vincent Millay's use of metaphor, imagery, and repetition create a vivid and memorable image of a speaker wandering through an emotional desert. The poem suggests that even in our darkest moments, there is always something to hold onto, some memory or experience that can provide us with comfort and solace. And ultimately, the poem reminds us of the power of memory to shape our emotions and experiences, even in the midst of emotional emptiness.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Once More Into My Arid Days Like Dew: A Masterpiece by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, is known for her unique style of writing that blends traditional forms with modernist themes. Her sonnet, "Once More Into My Arid Days Like Dew," is a perfect example of her mastery of the form. In this 14-line poem, Millay explores the theme of love and its power to transform even the most barren of landscapes. In this analysis, we will delve deeper into the poem's structure, language, and meaning to uncover the brilliance of Millay's work.

Structure

The sonnet is a traditional form of poetry that consists of 14 lines, typically written in iambic pentameter. Millay's sonnet follows this structure, with each line containing ten syllables and a pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables. However, she deviates from the traditional rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, instead opting for a more modern ABBA CDDC EFFE GG. This change in rhyme scheme gives the poem a unique rhythm that adds to its overall impact.

The poem is divided into two quatrains and two tercets, with a volta, or turn, occurring between the second and third quatrains. This turn marks a shift in the poem's tone and theme, as Millay moves from describing the barren landscape to the transformative power of love.

Language

Millay's use of language in this poem is both simple and powerful. She employs vivid imagery to describe the arid landscape, using words like "dust," "barren," and "dry" to create a sense of desolation. The repetition of the word "arid" in the first line emphasizes the barrenness of the landscape and sets the tone for the rest of the poem.

In contrast, Millay's language becomes more lush and vibrant as she describes the transformative power of love. She uses words like "dew," "green," and "bloom" to create a sense of renewal and growth. The use of the word "bloom" in the final line of the poem is particularly powerful, as it suggests not only growth but also the potential for something beautiful to emerge.

Meaning

At its core, "Once More Into My Arid Days Like Dew" is a poem about the transformative power of love. Millay uses the barren landscape as a metaphor for a life without love, describing it as "arid," "dust," and "barren." However, she suggests that even in the most desolate of landscapes, love has the power to bring about renewal and growth.

The volta in the poem marks a shift in tone and theme, as Millay moves from describing the barren landscape to the transformative power of love. She writes, "Love resurrects me again," suggesting that love has the power to bring about a rebirth of sorts. The use of the word "resurrects" is particularly powerful, as it suggests not only renewal but also a sense of coming back to life.

The final line of the poem, "And I am made whole again," is a powerful statement about the transformative power of love. Millay suggests that love has the power to heal even the most broken of souls, bringing about a sense of wholeness and completeness.

Conclusion

"Once More Into My Arid Days Like Dew" is a masterpiece of poetry that explores the transformative power of love. Millay's use of language and structure creates a powerful sense of desolation in the first half of the poem, which is then transformed by the power of love in the second half. The poem's message is clear: even in the most barren of landscapes, love has the power to bring about renewal and growth. This poem is a testament to Millay's mastery of the sonnet form and her ability to convey complex themes with simple yet powerful language.

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