Hearing your Words

Name: Hearing your Words
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores themes of communication, nature, and emotional resonance. It begins with the speaker's discontent with the words spoken to them, suggesting a disconnect between the speaker's feelings and the utterances of another. The imagery of a "salty day" and the tumultuous winds evokes a sense of chaos and struggle, reflecting the speaker's internal state. As the poem progresses, the setting shifts to a coastal environment, specifically referencing Matinicus, an island off the coast of Maine. The tide's relentless movement symbolizes the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The warning whistle and the children's whimpers create a sense of urgency and foreboding, emphasizing the harsh realities of life on the island. The depiction of women in the autumn, engaged in the labor of gardening, highlights themes of resilience and endurance. Their actions, such as handling dahlia tubers, symbolize the cyclical nature of life and the connection to the land. The wind, described as "driving south," serves as a metaphor for the forces that shape human experience, impacting both the physical and emotional landscapes. Ultimately, the poem conveys a sense of longing for meaningful connection amidst the chaos of existence. The speaker's struggle to find harmony in the words they hear reflects a deeper yearning for understanding and intimacy in relationships, set against the backdrop of a tumultuous natural world.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1936 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Nature Poetry · 143 words

First lines

Hearing your words, and not a word among them

Tuned to my liking, on a salty day

When inland woods were pushed by winds that flung them

Hissing to leeward like a ton of spray, I thought how off Matinicus the tide

What this Textopian page supports

Hearing your Words is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, dated 1936 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Poem
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Date: 1936 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Nature Poetry, Modernist Poetry, Imagism
Length: 143 words
Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Confusing

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Similar titles

Genres

Poetry — The work is a poem that employs lyrical language and explores themes of nature, communication, and emotional resonance.
Lyric Poetry — The poem expresses personal feelings and thoughts, characteristic of lyric poetry, focusing on the speaker's emotional response to the environment.
Nature Poetry — The imagery and themes are heavily centered around natural elements and the relationship between humans and their surroundings.
Modernist Poetry — The poem reflects modernist themes through its exploration of perception and the subjective experience of reality.