Product Description
A lively selection by J. D. McClatchy, the distinguished poet, critic, and editor, casts Millay's career in a new light. Here are familiar favorites alongside neglected gems: translations, a verse play, songs from her opera libretto The King's Henchman, and the complete sonnet sequence Fatal Interview. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a poor selection
a poor selection of Millay's poems, many of the same sort of lover's complaint... if that's what you want to read of hers, then its great... but if not, then not. ... Read more

Product Description
This file includes the short poetry collections A Few Figs from Thistles, Renascence and Other Poems, and Second April.It also includes the plays Aria da Capo (one act) and The Lamp and The Bell (five acts).According to Wikipedia: "Edna St. Vincent Millay (February 22, 1892 – October 19, 1950) was an American lyrical poet and playwright and the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. She was also known for her unconventional, bohemian lifestyle and her many love affairs. She used the pseudonym Nancy Boyd for her prose work." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A book of timeless poetry for young people
As librarian of a small, private school, I am continuing work this summer in processing and automating all the books in the library. Today I came across two copies of "Edna St. Vincent Millay's Poems Selected for Young People," with both copies needing repair and new mylar protectors from all the wear and tear. However, neither has been checked out in the three years I have been in the school. This fall that will change.

A good librarian sets up situations that allows students to make acquaintance with particular books and particular writers. It is time they met Edna St. Vincent Millay. It is ironic in my own life circumstance because friends recently were discussing Ms Millay.

This book of sixty poems are gathered from four other volumes, making it a book of favorites from the foremost poet of the publication period, 1917. It includes the poem that first made her famous when she was fifteen years old, "Renascence." Also, "The Harp Weaver," that gave me cold chills the first time I ever read it years ago, is found here. Sonnets and nature poems are also included.

Millay grew up in Rockport, Maine and earned her degree from Vassar College. She won a Pulitzer Prize in poetry. Please refer to Wikipedia for more biographical information. Millay led a fascinating life.

This is the second stanza from "God's World"--

Long have I known a glory in it all,
But never knew I this;
Here such a passion is
As stretcheth me apart,--Lord, I do fear
Thou'st made the world too beautiful this year;
My soul is all but out of me,--let fall
No burning leaf; prithee, let no bird call.

And "Ebb," a short poem about lost love:

I know what my heart is like
Since your love died:
It is like a hollow ledge
Holding a little pool
Left there by the tide,
A little tepid pool,
Drying inward from the edge.

Will fourth and fifth graders understand this love-lost poem? Unfortunately, yes, but they will also thrill to the exquisite beauty of nature in early Spring in "God's World."

There is good reason that this book of poetry is beloved. The illustrations of Joseph Paget-Fredericks adds simplicity and charm. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

High priestess of the poetic art
I would submit that Edna St. Vincent Millay may be the most underrated poet in the English language.

Was she a formalist, and therefore out of vogue?Too bad.Was she a naughty girl, and therefore sent to a place less than nice when she died?More power to her; I'm sure she felt right at home.

The woman who, as an undergrad at Vassar, defied the president of the college to expel her and was told "What?"And have a banished Shelley on my doorstep?" -- and who then allegedly responded "On those terms, I think I can continue to live in this hell hole" -- was obviously not someone to be trifled with.

Cheeky?No doubt.A hellcat?She could've set the wind on fire -- then have doused the flames in a wink with wit alone.

Every one of the sonnets in this collection is a gift to the reader.This book alone is worth a year's tuition at Vassar -- and would no doubt prove more valuable to the few who may be caught there (or at Smith, Wellesley, Barnard, Mount Holyoke, or Bryn Mawr) against their will.It's too bad Radcliffe merged with Harvard only well after her death.The only wonder is that she didn't rise from the grave to stop it -- or, instead, lead the movement to have Harvard merge with Radcliffe. ... Read more

Product Description
A selection of poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay especially chosen for young people. ... Read more

Product Description
"The Selected Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay" is a collection of some of her most loved poems. Brought together in this volume are the individual works of "Renascence and Other Poems," "A Few Figs From Thistles," "Second April," and "The Ballad of the Harp-Weaver." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Selected Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay - A Reintroduction
The Selected Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay is a sort of re-introduction to this very important writer for me.I have tended to read more poetry of the second half of the 20th century over the past few years, and really didn't remember much about Millay when I picked up the MLP printing of this, The Selected Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay (Modern Library Classics) from someone else's library.In addition to some interesting poems and very nice sonnets, there is a short but effective introduction to Millay's life and work.So I decided I would get myself a copy after reading it.

Her life was certainly interesting indeed, based upon the brief introduction that was included.Her writing started at a very early age and helped to win her a scholarship to Vassar College. "Renascence And Other Poems," was published in 1917 though many of her writings, including the title poem, were known much earlier.Her very active writing career included many books of poetry throughout her 20s, 30s and beyond, but also works for the stage.She also wrote under the pseudonym of Nancy Boyd.She served as the first foreign correspondent for Vanity Fair, and was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry.

Her penchant for controversial topics seems to have limited some of the prominence of her later writings.Almost all the contents of this compilation are from her early publications.Yet she still confronts adventurous topics including death and more common emotional topics such as unrequited love.Renascence deals with death in a very abstract and yet direct way, with imagery that is at once beautiful and morbid.

This book also includes Few Figs from Thistles, Second April, And the Ballad of the Harp-weaver.Each of those works were released as individual books of poetry and include a variety of poems in various styles."Renascence" and the "Ballad of the Harp-weaver" are the title works that seem to have the most notoriety.Comparatively speaking, they are each longer than many of her other poems.While "Renascence" has a more complex abstract structure with a more involved story, "Harp-Weaver" seems to be the simplified streamlined product of her writing experience leading up to it.One thing I found interesting was the mix of styles and concepts throughout her poems.

"First Fig" from "Few Figs" might be her most widely known poem, though only four lines long.It begins with the often quoted line, "My candle burns at both ends."The first four lines of "Harp Weaver" also contain within them a familiarity.

It's perhaps most interesting to me to read many of her sonnets, which I cannot be sure I have read before.I would imagine that many people might study sonnets such as these in some early English classes.At least to my fresh eyes, I found them to be very beautiful as well as thought provoking.

I feel like I have a lot yet to learn about Millay, but this book was definitely a good introduction for me as the vast majority of these poems were not ones I remember having read.I have heard of her biography, Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay which may be my next stop on learning more about Millay.Considering how interesting the short introduction was, I would imagine a deeper look at her life would only be more intriguing.

I recommend this book to anybody who is interested in a refresher or an introduction to Millay's poetry.

Enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description
1920. Millay was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for this collection of her poems and sonnets. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Why so expensive?
Strange that this edition should be so expensive- you can get her entire collected works (which includes the entirety of the harp weaver) for less.
That being said, it's incredible. ... Read more

Product Description
Renascence and Other Poems. please visit www.valdebooks.com for a full list of titles ... Read more