Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Journey




Edna St. Vincent Millay

Ah, could I lay me down in this long grass
And close my eyes, and let the quiet wind
Blow over me—I am so tired, so tired
Of passing pleasant places! All my life,
Following Care along the dusty road,
Have I looked back at loveliness and sighed;
Yet at my hand an unrelenting hand
Tugged ever, and I passed. All my life long
Over my shoulder have I looked at peace;
And now I fain would lie in this long grass
And close my eyes.
       Yet onward!
             Cat birds call
Through the long afternoon, and creeks at dusk
Are guttural. Whip-poor-wills wake and cry,
Drawing the twilight close about their throats.
Only my heart makes answer. Eager vines
Go up the rocks and wait; flushed apple-trees
Pause in their dance and break the ring for me;
And bayberry, that through sweet bevies thread
Of round-faced roses, pink and petulant,
Look back and beckon ere they disappear.
Only my heart, only my heart responds.
Yet, ah, my path is sweet on either side
All through the dragging day,—sharp underfoot
And hot, and like dead mist the dry dust hangs—
But far, oh, far as passionate eye can reach,
And long, ah, long as rapturous eye can cling,
The world is mine: blue hill, still silver lake,
Broad field, bright flower, and the long white road
A gateless garden, and an open path:
My feet to follow, and my heart to hold.







6 comments:

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

" . . . my path is sweet on either side, all through the dragging day . . ."
I have never read that Millay piece before. Don't know how I missed it. Speaks to how we all feel sometimes.

Thanks Sandra!

Sandra said...

Yes it does, at least I know it speaks to how I feel.

I have an old text book "American Literature 1900 - 1930. I've been rereading it. Sometimes it pays to keep your books from university!

Jan Mader said...

Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

Ganeida said...

I kept all my poetry books from uni but as Millay was one I didn't study [didn't do too many Americans] I enjoyed this very much. ☺ I so love that you post poetry!

Judy said...

Pure loveliness!

Sandra said...

I so glad everyone liked it, I did too. I enjoy reading poetry more and more.