Scrub by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Name: Scrub
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores themes of bitterness, isolation, and the impact of past experiences on the present. The speaker reflects on the potential for emotional and spiritual stunting, likening their state to a gnarled tree that bears unpalatable fruit. This imagery conveys a sense of regret and the consequences of a harsh upbringing or difficult experiences. The speaker acknowledges a tendency to withdraw from the world, creating a barrier that prevents engagement with life and nature. The metaphor of the inhospitable house suggests a self-imposed exile, where the speaker remains hidden and disconnected from the vibrancy of the outside world. The passage of time is marked by a sense of loss, as the speaker listens to life unfold without participating in it. The poem also touches on the idea of vulnerability, as the speaker attributes their bitterness to a strong wind that shaped their youth. This wind symbolizes external forces that have left lasting scars, leading to a fear of further pain, represented by the rain. The fear of being hurt again contributes to the speaker's reluctance to embrace life fully. Overall, the work delves into the complexities of human emotion, the struggle against bitterness, and the desire for connection despite the fear of past traumas. It serves as a poignant reflection on how experiences shape one's outlook and the ongoing battle between isolation and the yearning for engagement with the world.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1920 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Modernist Literature · 123 words

First lines

If I grow bitterly, / Like a gnarled and stunted tree, / Bearing harshly of my youth / Puckered fruit that sears the mouth;

If I make of my drawn boughs / An inhospitable house, / Out of which I never pry / Towards the water and the sky, / Under which I stand and hide / And hear the day go by outside;

It is that a wind too strong / Bent my back when I was young, / It is that I fear the rain / Lest it blister me again.

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Scrub 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, Modernist Literature, Nature Poetry, Confessional Poetry
Length: 123 words
Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs

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Genres

Poetry — The work is a poem that explores themes of bitterness, youth, and the passage of time through lyrical language.
Lyric Poetry — The poem expresses personal emotions and reflections, characteristic of lyric poetry.
Modernist Literature — The poem reflects modernist themes of introspection and existential contemplation.
Nature Poetry — The imagery of trees and nature conveys deeper emotional states and human experiences.