On Thought in Harness

Name: On Thought in Harness
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores themes of freedom, confinement, and the struggle between personal aspirations and external constraints. The speaker uses the metaphor of a falcon, symbolizing a desire for liberation and the pursuit of higher ideals. The falcon, initially sent to soar towards the sun, returns, indicating a failure to achieve its potential. The imagery of the bird's degradation reflects the speaker's own feelings of entrapment and disappointment. The speaker expresses a longing for the falcon to reclaim its autonomy, urging it to abandon the constraints of the speaker's influence and to seek its own path. This call for liberation emphasizes the tension between the desire for connection and the need for independence. The poem ultimately conveys a sense of urgency for the falcon to rise above its current state, suggesting that true fulfillment lies in the pursuit of one's own destiny, free from the limitations imposed by others. The concluding lines reinforce the idea of ascension and the quest for the unknown, highlighting the importance of embracing one's potential and the courage to venture into uncharted territories.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1936 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Nature · 124 words

First lines

My falcon to my wrist Returns

From no high air.

I sent her toward the sun that burns Above the mist;

But she has not been there.

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On Thought in Harness is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, dated 1936 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Date: 1936 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Lyric, Nature, Symbolism, Modernist
Length: 124 words
Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Poetry — The work is a poem that explores themes of freedom and the relationship between the speaker and the falcon.
Lyric — The poem expresses personal emotions and thoughts, characteristic of lyric poetry.
Nature — The imagery of the falcon and references to the sun and air highlight a connection to nature.
Symbolism — The falcon serves as a symbol of freedom and the struggle for independence.