Renascence and Other Poems

With a Biography by Carl Van Doren

Millay

• Publisher: Ragged Hand - Read & Co.
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781528790666
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: American Poetry
• Index: Literature

This book contains a classic collection of poetry written by Edna St. Vincent Millay, including one of the best-known American poems "Renascence". Celebrated for their lyrical beauty which is most evident in her early works, Millay's poems are infused with fiery romance and the youthful spirit that would become a characteristic of her writing. Contents include: "Edna St. Vincent Millay, by Carl Van Doren", "Renascence", "Interim", "The Suicide", "God's World", "Afternoon on a Hill", "Sorrow", "Tavern", "Ashes of Life", "The Little Ghost", "Kin to Sorrow", "Three Songs of Shattering", etc. Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950) was an American playwright, Pulitzer Prize-winning lyrical poet, and feminist activist. One of the most celebrated poets in American history, Millay is hailed as the twentieth century's most skilful sonnet writers who expertly married modern attitudes with traditional forms of expression. Other notable works by this author include: "Two Slatterns and a King" and "The Lamp and the Bell". Ragged Hand - Read & Co is republishing this collection of classic poetry now in a new edition complete with a biography of the author by Carl Van Doren.

RENASCENCE

All I could see from where I stood

Was three long mountains and a wood;

I turned and looked another way,

And saw three islands in a bay

So with my eyes I traced the line

Of the horizon, thin and fine,

Straight around till I was come

Back to where I’d started from

And all I saw from where I stood

Was three long mountains and a wood

Over these things I could not see:

These were the things that bounded me;

And I could touch them with my hand,

Almost, I thought, from where I stand

And all at once things seemed so small

My breath came short, and scarce at all

But, sure, the sky is big, I said;

Miles and miles above my head;

So here upon my back I’ll lie

And look my fill into the sky

And so I looked, and, after all,

The sky was not so very tall

The sky, I said, must somewhere stop,

And—sure enough!—I see the top!

The sky, I thought, is not so grand;

I ’most could touch it with my hand!

And reaching up my hand to try,

I screamed to feel it touch the sky.

I screamed, and—lo!—Infinity

Came down and settled over me;

Forced back my scream into my chest,

Bent back my arm upon my breast,

And, pressing of the Undefined

The definition on my mind,

Held up before my eyes a glass

Through which my shrinking sight did pass

Until it seemed I must behold

Immensity made manifold;

Whispered to me a word whose sound

Deafened the air for worlds around,

And brought unmuffled to my ears

The gossiping of friendly spheres,

The creaking of the tented sky,

The ticking of Eternity

I saw and heard and knew at last

The How ...

Table of contents

• EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY
• RENASCENCE
• INTERIM
• THE SUICIDE
• GOD’S WORLD
• AFTERNOON ON A HILL
• SORROW
• TAVERN
• ASHES OF LIFE
• THE LITTLE GHOST
• KIN TO SORROW
• THREE SONGS OF SHATTERING
• THE SHROUD
• THE DREAM
• INDIFFERENCE
• WITCH-WIFE
• BLIGHT
• WHEN THE YEAR GROWS OLD
• SONNETS