The Poet and His Book

With a Biography by Carl Van Doren

Millay

• Publisher: Ragged Hand - Read & Co.
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781528790789
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: American Poetry
• Index: Literature

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. First published in 1923, "The Poet and His Book" contains some of Millay's best poetry, including: "Renascence", "God's World", "Afternoon on a Hill", "Journey", "Sorrow", "Tavern", "Ashes of Life", "The Little Ghost", "Kin to Sorrow", "Three Songs of Shattering", "The Shroud", "The Dream", "Indifference", "Witch-Wife", "Blight", etc. Timeless and deeply profound, Millay's poems are infused with fiery romance and the youthful spirit that would become a characteristic of her writing. Highly recommended for all poetry lovers and those with a particular penchant for sonnets. 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 classic poetry collection now in a new edition complete with a biography of the author by Carl Van Doren.

PART I

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 s...

Table of contents

• EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY
• PART I
• PART II
• PART III