The Hedge of Hemlocks

Name: The Hedge of Hemlocks
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores themes of nature, isolation, and the passage of time through the imagery of a hedge of hemlocks. It begins with a reflection on the origins of the hedge, planted to separate the marshes from a cultivated lawn. The speaker describes the hemlocks as delicate saplings that have grown over the years into a dense barrier, creating a stark contrast between the wildness of the marsh and the manicured space of the dooryard. As the poem progresses, the speaker notes the transformation of the hemlocks, which have developed into a thick, shadowy presence that obscures not only the marsh but also the mountain beyond. This barrier serves to protect the cultivated space, yet it also signifies a form of confinement. The lush imagery of the green tops and the delicate ferns evokes a sense of beauty, but it is juxtaposed with the idea of exclusion and the loss of connection to the surrounding wilderness. The poem introduces a moment of intrusion, where a neighbor enters the space between the hemlocks without disturbing the natural order. This act symbolizes the fragility of boundaries and the ease with which one can cross into another's domain, highlighting the tension between isolation and community. The speaker's observations suggest a longing for connection, even as the hedge serves its purpose of separation. Overall, the work reflects on the complexities of human interaction with nature, the desire for protection, and the inevitable encroachment of the outside world, all encapsulated within the metaphor of the hedge. The hemlocks stand as a testament to both the beauty and the limitations of cultivated spaces, inviting contemplation on the relationship between the natural and the artificial.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1920 · Genre: Poetry, Nature Writing, Symbolism · 249 words

First lines

Somebody long ago Set out this hedge of hemlocks; brought from the woods, I'd say, Saplings ten inches tall, curving and delicate, not shaped like trees, And set them out, to shut the marshes from the lawn, A hedge of ferns.

Four feet apart he set them, far apart, leaving them room to grow . . .

Whose crowded lower boughs these fifty years at least Are spiky stumps outthrust in all directions, dry, dropping scaly bark, in the deep shade making a thick

Dust which here and there floats in a short dazzling beam.

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The Hedge of Hemlocks 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, Nature Writing, Symbolism, Modernism, Lyrical
Length: 249 words
Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Poetry — The work is written in verse, employing poetic devices such as imagery and metaphor.
Nature Writing — The poem explores themes of nature, specifically the relationship between cultivated spaces and wild landscapes.
Symbolism — The hedge of hemlocks serves as a symbol for barriers and the separation between different realms of existence.
Modernism — The poem reflects modernist themes of isolation and the complexity of human interaction with nature.