Sweet Love

Name: Sweet Love
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores the complexities of love, intertwining joy and pain. The speaker reflects on the dual nature of love, likening it to a sweet thorn that inflicts both pleasure and suffering. The imagery of nature—rain, mist, and the transition from night to morning—mirrors the emotional turmoil experienced in love. The speaker expresses regret for not recognizing the potential anguish that accompanies love, even in moments of happiness. The realization that love can be unreciprocated adds to the sense of vulnerability. Ultimately, the poem captures the bittersweet essence of romantic relationships, highlighting the tension between desire and the risk of emotional hurt. The speaker's lamentation serves as a cautionary reflection on the nature of affection and the consequences of pursuing love that may not be fully returned.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1928 · Genre: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric · 160 words

First lines

Sweet love, sweet thorn, when lightly to my heart

I took your thrust, whereby I since am slain, And lie disheveled in the grass apart, A sodden thing bedrenched by tears and rain, While rainy evening drips to misty night, And misty night to cloudy morning clears, And clouds disperse across the gathering light, And birds grow noisy, and the sun appears-Had I bethought me then, sweet love, sweet thorn, How sharp an anguish even at the best, When all's requited and the future sworn, The happy hour can leave within the breast, I had not so come running at the call

Of one who loves me little, if at all.

What this Textopian page supports

Sweet Love is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, dated 1928 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Date: 1928 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric, Modernism, Drama
Length: 160 words
Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Confusing

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Similar titles

Genres

Poetry — The work is a poem that explores themes of love and emotional pain through lyrical language.
Romanticism — The poem reflects romantic themes, focusing on love's complexities and emotional depth.
Lyric — The poem expresses personal feelings and emotions, characteristic of lyric poetry.
Modernism — The poem's introspective nature and exploration of personal experience align with modernist themes.