Once more into my Arid Days Like Dew

Name: Once more into my Arid Days Like Dew
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores themes of longing, disillusionment, and the cyclical nature of desire. The speaker reflects on their emotional state, likening their days to an arid landscape devoid of life and sustenance. The imagery of dew and water symbolizes fleeting hope and the allure of a past relationship that ultimately proves to be illusory. The speaker acknowledges the pain caused by memories of a lost love, recognizing the futility in chasing after an idealized version of that person. Despite previous experiences of disappointment, the speaker finds themselves drawn back into the cycle of yearning, demonstrating a struggle between hope and despair. The repetition of actions—chasing, sobbing, cursing—highlights the emotional turmoil and the inability to escape the grip of nostalgia. The final realization of emptiness upon reaching out for the beloved emphasizes the theme of unfulfilled desire. The poem captures the essence of human vulnerability in the face of unattainable love, illustrating the tension between the desire for connection and the harsh reality of solitude.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1921 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Modernist Poetry, Romantic Poetry · 143 words

First lines

Once more into my arid days like dew, Like wind from an oasis, or the sound

Of cold sweet water bubbling underground, A treacherous messenger, the thought of you

Comes to destroy me; once more I renew

Firm faith in your abundance, whom I found

What this Textopian page supports

Once more into my Arid Days Like Dew is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, dated 1921 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Date: 1921 CE
Language: English
Genres: Lyric Poetry, Modernist Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Confessional Poetry, Imagist Poetry
Length: 143 words
Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)

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Similar titles

Genres

Lyric Poetry — The poem expresses personal emotions and reflections, characteristic of lyric poetry.
Modernist Poetry — The poem employs modernist themes of disillusionment and existential struggle.
Romantic Poetry — The exploration of deep emotional experiences and nature aligns with romantic poetry.
Confessional Poetry — The intimate and personal nature of the speaker's feelings suggests confessional elements.