Poetry Challenge #284-Play Like Millay
In 1912, when Edna St. Vincent Millay was 19, she entered a poetry contest with her poem “Renascence” which begins, “All I could see from where I stood”. She was given 4th place—and no prize. When the contest entries were published, many people felt Millay’s poem was better than the three men who had won money.
But, maybe losing the contest was the best thing for young Millay. Because people were outraged, she received national publicity.
She was invited to give a poetry reading in Maine where a wealthy woman became her benefactor and sent her to college.
In 1923, Millay won a Pulitzer Prize for poetry.
Edna St. Vincent Millay was the first woman and second person to win the award. Take that silly contest judges!
She won for her poem "Ballad of the Harp-Weaver” from the collection A Few Figs in the Thistle, published Jan 1, 1920. That’s prize winner isn’t even the most well-known poem in the collection; this is:
‘First Fig‘ was published in A Few Figs From Thistles.
Poetry Challenge #284
Play like Millay!
Because it’s her birthday, February 22 (1892-1950), let’s play!
Pick a line from a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay and write your own poem from that line. Here are some lines from Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poems:
All I could see from where I stood
What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why
Time does not bring relief; you all have lied
I know what my heart is like
To what purpose, April, do you return again?
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, Play like Millay!
Edna St. Vincent Millay was a fascinating character. Here are 2 excellent biographies about her. A Girl Called Vincent for young readers & Savage Beauty for everyone else!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2400+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
