Vincent Millay
Vincent Millay
grief rose tree
The first rose on my rose-tree Budded, bloomed, and shattered, During sad days when to me Nothing mattered. Grief or grief has drained me clean; Still it seems a pity No one saw,—it must have been Very pretty.
truth world alive
Not Truth, but Faith it is that keeps the world alive.
simplicity seems
And all the loveliest things there be come simply, so it seems to me.
life cups flight
Life in itself Is nothing, An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.
giving-up men land
Not for the flag Of any land because myself was born there Will I give up my life. But I will love that land where man is free, And that will I defend.
mother daughter heart
I am all the time talking about you, and bragging, to one person or another. I am like the Ancient Mariner, who had a tale in his heart he must unfold to all. I am always buttonholing somebody and saying, "Someday you must meet my mother."
poet darling
You see, I am a poet, and not quite right in the head, darling. It’s only that.
love rain men
Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain; Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink.
heart learning mind
pity me that the heart is slow to learn what the swift mind beholds at every turn.
stars dark night
No one but Night, with tears on her dark face, watches beside me in this windy place.
pain rain heart
Sorrow like a ceaseless rain Beats upon my heart. People twist and scream in pain-- Dawn will find them still again; This has neither wax nor wane, Neither stop nor start.
mistake learning advice
I am glad that I paid so little attention to good advice; had I abided by it I might have been saved from some of my most valuable mistakes.
life wise wisdom
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely.
heart knowing matter
My heart is warm with the friends I make, And better friends I'll not be knowing, Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take, No matter where it's going.