Midnight Oil
The poem explores the idea that creative work is a necessary and all-consuming part of one's life, even if it means sacrificing personal relationships and comfort. The speaker describes their artistic pursuits as a burning passion that cannot be extinguished, likening themselves to a machine that must keep working through the night.
By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1922 · Genre: Poetry, Drama, Philosophical · 49 words
First lines
Cut if you will, with Sleep's dull knife, Each day to half its length, my friend, -- The years that Time takes off _my_ life, He'll take from off the other end!
What this Textopian page supports
Midnight Oil is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, dated 1922 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: 1922 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Drama, Philosophical
- Length: 49 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Midnight Oil by Edna St. Vincent Millay
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Midnight Oil?
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse form, with a rhythmic and rhyming structure typical of poetry.
- Drama — The work contains dramatic elements, such as emotional intensity and a focus on individual perspective.
- Philosophical — The work explores philosophical themes, such as the nature of time and life.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 20th Century · Feminist · Romantic · Love Poems · Passionate · Emotional · Introspective · Personal · Autobiographical · Free Verse
More by Edna St. Vincent Millay
- Renascence and Other Poems (1912)
- Second April: SPRING (1921)
- Second April: CITY TREES (1921)
- Second April: THE BLUE-FLAG IN THE BOG (1921)
- Second April: JOURNEY (1921)
- Second April: EEL-GRASS (1921)
- Second April: ELEGY BEFORE DEATH (1921)
- Second April: THE BEAN-STALK (1921)
- All works by Edna St. Vincent Millay