Spring By Edna St. Vincent Millay

660 Words3 Pages

The vibrant spring flowers blossomed in the field of tall grass. The sun peered through the blades, and the wind swayed the beautiful flowers from side to side. The smell of the earth radiated from the wet ground, and the clouds overhead moved at a slow, yet steady pace. From the outside, the earth may appear to be a beautiful place. Between the gorgeous spring flowers and the warm sun gleaming through the clouds, life itself appears to be beautiful. However, "Spring," by Edna St. Vincent Millay puts an interesting twist on how people should regard the arrival of the spring season. Instead of viewing life as full of joy, happiness, and beauty, the author describes life as beautiful on the outside, but full of nothing on the inside. Edna St. Vincent Millay utilizes imagery and tone throughout her poem "Spring" in order to illustrate that …show more content…

Vincent Millay's poem "Spring" utilizes a bitter tone throughout. For instance, the poem exclaims, "Beauty is not enough./You can no longer quiet me with the redness/Of little leaves opening stickily" (St. Vincent Millay 2-4). The author's choice of diction with phrases such as "Beauty is not enough" and "You can no longer quiet me" demonstrate the bitterness that the author feels toward the spring season. Thus, her angst illustrates her feelings about the two-faced nature of spring. On one hand, spring appears to be full of beauty and life, but internally, it is ugly and lifeless. Furthermore, the poem also declares, "April/Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers" (St. Vincent Millay 17-18). The author's diction in the above phrase also works to highlight her bitterness toward the spring season. By utilizing words such as "idiot," "babbling," and "strewing," the author furthers her idea that life is not stunning and gorgeous, but is actually empty. The bitter and cold tone of the poem enhances St. Vincent Millay's message, and brings light to her message that life is empty, cold, and