My Words that once were Virtuous

Name: My Words that once were Virtuous
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores themes of disillusionment and the inadequacy of language in expressing profound experiences. The speaker reflects on a past where their words were virtuous and capable of conveying the joys of life. However, in the presence of divine or elevated beings, the speaker feels diminished and unable to articulate their feelings. The imagery of a heavenly supper highlights a contrast between earthly joys and celestial expectations. The speaker's struggle with communication reveals a sense of inadequacy and a longing for connection, as they grapple with the overwhelming beauty and joy surrounding them. The presence of angelic figures emphasizes the speaker's feelings of inferiority and the challenge of expressing genuine emotion in a transcendent context. Ultimately, the poem captures the tension between human experience and the limitations of language, suggesting that true understanding may lie beyond words.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1939 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Romanticism · 132 words

First lines

My words that once were virtuous and expressed Nearly enough the mortal joys I knew, Now that I sit to supper with the blest

Come haltingly, are very poor and few. Whereof you speak and wherefore the bright walls

Resound with silver mirth I am aware, But I am faint beneath the coronals

Of living vines you set upon my hair. Angelic friends that stand with pointed wings

What this Textopian page supports

My Words that once were Virtuous is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, dated 1939 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Date: 1939 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Lyric, Romanticism, Modernism, Philosophical
Length: 132 words
Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Poetry — The work is a poem that explores themes of virtue, joy, and the struggle to articulate profound emotions.
Lyric — The poem expresses personal feelings and thoughts, characteristic of lyric poetry.
Romanticism — The themes of beauty, emotion, and nature align with Romantic ideals.
Modernism — The introspective nature and focus on individual experience reflect modernist tendencies.