Love Is Not All
Poets must utilize many tools and techniques to create a mood or convey
a
thought. Metaphor, simile, spacing, form, voice, and setting are all
common
poetic utilities. Some tools, however, are more understated. Some of
the more
delicate methods used by poets are rhythm, language, and the
consistency of the
theme throughout the poem. One work that makes use of
inconsistent theme is Edna
St. Vincent Millay’s sonnet "Love Is Not All:
It Is Not Meat nor Drink"
(page 936). This poem uses indirect theme and
abrupt change in message to add
more emphasis the meaning of the poem. By
beginning the poem with an image that
contrasts the main theme, the poet is
able to inflict a more vivid impression on
the reader. Even the title of
Millay’s sonnet gives us an idea of what the
poem’s theme is likely to be.
"Love is not all" suggests that the persona
is decrying love. It prepares the
reader for a put-down of love and all things
romantic. Millay proceeds to use
a group of anti-similes that declare what love
is not; "it is not meat nor
drink," therefor we presumably can not live
without it. Love will not refresh
you or protect you from the elements, as it is
not "slumber nor a roof
against the rain." She then relates love to "a
floating spar to men that
sink," stating that it will not support you in times
of disaster. The entire
first six lines generally knock love by declaring it
useless and
unsubstantial. After reading this the reader jumps to the conclusion
that
they know what Millay’s message is. The turning point of the poem is
the
seventh line. "Yet many a man is making friends with death / Even as I
speak,
for lack of love alone" contradicts everything the reader is led to
believe
thus far. The following lines are equally contrary to the initial
message. They
state that though love may not be absolutely necessary, life is
hardly worth
living without it. The persona states that though in a time of
"nagging by
want past resolution’s power" she could trade her lover’s
affection for a
moment of relief, she doubts that she would. This change of
message is one of
the more delicate and indirect tools used to drive a point
home to the reader.
If we simply read the last sestet of the poem, the
message seems trivial and
mundane. The persona wouldn’t trade her love for
anything. So what. It has no
emphasis, and lacks voice. The reader is left
with no lasting impression.
However, when read with the first octet
included, the poem takes on a new
importance. The sudden contrast in mood and
theme catches the reader’s
attention. Contrast is used in all forms of art
and imagery. Visual artists use
contrasting colors and light and dark to make
an image more independent and
defined. When held to a dark backdrop, a white
object appears much more vivid
than it would against a light backdrop. A soft
melody proceeding a loud
crescendo is often used by musicians to make the
latter even more impressive and
overwhelming. Millay’s use of contrast in
this poem punctuates the message in
a similar manner. The last line jumps
upon the reader with emphasis. To create
this emphasis, she employs
inconsistent line structure and rhyme scheme in
addition to the theme change.
Throughout the sonnet, the lines are long and full
of many-syllable words.
The final line, however, is very simple. It contains
single syllable words,
and uses no figurative language. "It well may be. I do
not think I would"
simply states the message. The prolific use of figurative
speech earlier in
the sonnet to state the opposing thought makes this line more
memorable and
powerful. This line does not fit into the rhyme scheme of the
sonnet, either.
Lines one through twelve follow the standard scheme of abab.
Lines
thirteen and fourteen, however, don’t rhyme. Millay breaks away from the
rest
of the poem, giving the last lines independence. These techniques
combine
with the change in message to embed the theme deep into the reader’s
mind.
Contrast is a very effective tool in poetry. Just as clever
metaphor and
innuendo catch the reader’s attention and emphasize a point
more
authoritatively than simple statement; contrast leaves a thought with a
reader
long after they have read the poem. Millay utilizes several forms of
contrast in
"Love Is Not All," the result being a poem that expresses
distinctly that
love is indeed all.