The Spring And The Fall Poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay

The Spring And The Fall

Rating: 4.1


In the spring of the year, in the spring of the year,
I walked the road beside my dear.
The trees were black where the bark was wet.
I see them yet, in the spring of the year.
He broke me a bough of the blossoming peach
That was out of the way and hard to reach.

In the fall of the year, in the fall of the year,
I walked the road beside my dear.
The rooks went up with a raucous trill.
I hear them still, in the fall of the year.
He laughed at all I dared to praise,
And broke my heart, in little ways.

Year be springing or year be falling,
The bark will drip and the birds be calling.
There's much that's fine to see and hear
In the spring of a year, in the fall of a year.
'Tis not love's going hurt my days.
But that it went in little ways.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
May Heron 08 November 2007

He laughed at all I dared to praise, And broke my heart, in little ways Strange how the small slights can cut the most.

22 8 Reply
Matt Johnston 19 April 2008

This is both subtle and easy to understand. Millay was a genius.

20 5 Reply
Brian Robbins 27 January 2008

So easy to break a heart simply by being thoughtless. The pain comes through clearly in this poem.

22 2 Reply
Colleen Courtney 17 May 2014

Love this poem by the poet. Makes me wish there were summer/winter version also! ! !

14 6 Reply
Pietro 6 25 January 2016

As beautiful, as sad..........

11 3 Reply
Kathy 12 June 2022

As I read Brave New World, and the Savage shares his most beloved passages In Shakespeare, the sharing is met by derision and laughter from his friend Hemholtz.

0 0 Reply
EPCross 11 April 2021

Vincent knew and understood seasons. This poem uses two and they carry the meaning. It is such a magnificent poem because this is just what happens. 'It is not loves going that hurts my ways, but that it went in little ways.' Brilliant.

3 0 Reply
Minette 14 November 2020

Beautiful poem and so true. This is how my first love broke my heart.

2 0 Reply
Mahtab Bangalee 10 February 2020

Year be springing or year be falling, The bark will drip and the birds be calling. There's much that's fine to see and hear........//// beautiful poem penned; excellent expression on the spring coming and going; the nature comes to us to make happy and again it goes far away but not giving the sorrow though we feel sometimes it; very impressive poem

0 0 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 10 February 2020

Muse of Spring! ! Muse of lovers! Heartbreak! ! After the fall. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

0 1 Reply
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Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Rockland / Maine / United States
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