24 September 2010

Millay on fashion

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Strong sun, that bleach
The curtains of my room, can you not render
Colourless this dress I wear?—
This violent plaid
Of purple angers and red shames; the yellow stripe
Of thin but valid treacheries; the flashy green of kind deeds done
Through indolence high judgments given here in haste; 
The recurring checker of the serious breach of taste?

No more uncoloured than unmade,
I fear, can be this garment that I may not doff;
Confession does not strip it off,
To send me homeward eased and bare;

All through the formal, unoffending evening, under the clean
Bright hair,
Lining the subtle gown. . .it is not seen, 
But it is there. 
 
 
-Edna Saint Vincent Millay(the plaid dress)
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9 comments:

  1. one of my kindred spirits- Edna Saint Vincent Millay. read her for her story, poetry, in context to the era and fascinate over it, read her in today's world and do the same. She will not disappoint.

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  2. The way you, combine written words with pictures is simply wonderful. I have already read the poem three times just now and I am still pondering all of its meaning. Certainly I want to read more of Millay and "fascinate" over it all!

    Isn't blogging divine? The inspiration you give adds sugar to my day!

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  3. Beautiful.

    I will re-visit her today.

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  4. janfaw, I appreciate that. She is as I said a Me. I can connect and id with her so many years between us. Wonderful when we come across them.

    Bruce- loved the Millay and your own photograph of the wood, perfect.

    Anon,BWS, merci.

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  5. Gaye, do you know what happened to Frognal Dibdin's Shelves? I can't seem to find them.

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  6. Donna, I don't know, FD has disappeared it would seem.

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  7. Christina- I have another post I want to do on TW. I do love his work and Millay is a favorite of mine, and what an interesting and turbulent life she led.

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