If Still your Orchards Bear

Name: If Still your Orchards Bear
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores themes of time, memory, and the human experience through the lens of nature and personal reflection. It addresses a brother, contemplating the future and the enduring presence of orchards that may still bear fruit. The speaker imagines a distant future where the brother, despite the passage of millennia, will experience emotions and thoughts similar to those of the present. The imagery of the orchards and the apples serves as a metaphor for the continuity of life and the cyclical nature of existence. The speaker reflects on the inevitability of change, suggesting that while the brother may physically remain, he will not be the same person he once was. The contrast between the vibrant, tangible apples and the intangible memories evokes a sense of nostalgia and loss. As the poem progresses, the speaker considers the weight of memories that may resurface under the moonlight, highlighting the emotional burden that accompanies the passage of time. The brother's potential need for tears suggests an acknowledgment of sorrow and regret, yet the speaker posits that these tears may not flow, indicating a possible numbness or resignation to the human condition. Ultimately, the work encapsulates the tension between the permanence of nature and the transience of human experience, suggesting that despite the changes wrought by time, the core of human emotion remains constant. The poem invites reflection on the nature of existence, the inevitability of change, and the enduring impact of memories.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1920 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Nature Poetry · 262 words

First lines

Brother, that breathe the August air Ten thousand years from now,

And smell-if still your orchards bear Tart apples on the bough-

The early windfall under the tree, And see the red fruit shine,

I cannot think your thoughts will be Much different from mine.

What this Textopian page supports

If Still your Orchards Bear is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, dated 1920 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Date: 1920 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Nature Poetry, Philosophical Poetry, Modernist Poetry
Length: 262 words
Structure: 1 section, 14 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Confusing

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Similar titles

Genres

Poetry — The work is a poem that explores themes of time, memory, and human emotion through lyrical language.
Lyric Poetry — The poem expresses personal feelings and thoughts, characteristic of lyric poetry.
Nature Poetry — The imagery of orchards and the natural world is central to the poem's themes.
Philosophical Poetry — The poem contemplates existential themes and the passage of time.