First Fig
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light.
~ Edna St. Vincent Millay
I could dissect this poem, line by line, pondering its possible meanings with regard to Edna’s life and writing. But this is not a lit class, it’s a blog. So I won’t. Also, I don’t want to.
It’s here today because the words are speaking to me and I need to share them.
Right now, I choose to see this poem as a reminder.
To a person who is working too much, overwhelmed and exhausting herself, who knows she cannot keep this up much longer, who addresses those who support her as well as those who do not. In the end, regardless of this knowledge, she cannot help but say how lovely it all is.
I feel these words deeply.
Watch as I go down in flames and see how beautiful the fire is.
How goddamn beautiful.
Life is difficult and stressful and a strange beauty emerges in those moments. If we look. And when we find it, we need to share it. Shout it out to friends and foes.
There is beauty in the moments of madness.
My Sunday thoughts in 200 words or less.
Are you going through a difficult time? Have you taken on too much? Could you use a break? I’ve got nothing. Sorry. No tips. No fix. Just support, solidarity, and a little bit of poetry.
I have been feeling like this for several days now… and in a way, it does help to stand back and watch the flames…
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It does. There can be beauty in unexpected places. Hope things improve and you’re able to find some of that beauty. 💗
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so do I… thanks for your support…
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tis a lovely sentiment but yes it is intriguing too. It’s sunny here, 23C today and the garden calls so I have to smile.
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Sounds lovely. 🌸🌼🌺 Enjoy the sun and garden. Keep smiling. 🙂
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Will do
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❤
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💗
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That’s a beautiful poem, Sarah. I love the light you shine, but I don’t want you to go down in flames. It’s okay to let things go, but not yourself. Take care. You’re too precious to burn out yet.
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Isn’t that a gorgeous poem? Yes, I do have to let some things go. Breathe…and release. Thank you. 💗
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Beautiful post, Sarah. Thinking of you. ❤
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Thank you. 💗 (Such a stunning bit of poetry.)
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Yes. Feeling overwhelmed is nothing new, is it? This too shall pass. Take care, my friend.
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Definitely not new. 😉 Will work on the self-care and hope this passes quickly. (I can also get out of the Yes Mess. That should help.) Thank you.
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I always appreciate your flames, Dear Lady. #megamast 💙
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Thank you, my friend. 💗 #mast
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Agree 100% This reminds me of how I feel so vibrant at times and then sometimes run down. Like Blade Runner’s replicant Roy Batty
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Ah, yes. Brilliant! “The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long…” Thanks for sharing that.
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I know the feeling. May you find your way to a less hectic time in your life. 🙂
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Thanks so much. 💗 Hope all is well with you.
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I was up from 2-4 am feeling like this. Love the poem!
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Insomnia is awesome. Especially when accompanied by stress and overwhelm. Chicken and egg thing? Hope you’re doing a bit better today. 💗 (I know, the poem is beautiful. I love it, too.)
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Just had some dark chocolate and a diet Coke (it balances out the calories from the chocolate). Things are looking up.
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I’ve heard that. 🙂 Excellent.
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It really is such a pretty fire, isn’t it?
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It really is. 💗
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I love it when my candle burns at both ends … my light is bright and I get so much accomplished! The light is addictive – it’s so beautiful and bright – you want it to last forever! We just need to have a really big candle, or as you pointed out, manage the flame to keep it going for a longer time. It may not be quite as bright, but just as beautiful. But seriously, chocolate always helps. 🙂
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I don’t know that I’ve learned to manage it quite yet. It is beautiful while it lasts but…how long is that? I’m going with the chocolate. 💗 🙂
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Apparently I have a big f’n candle. The grind is endless but the drive is there. I think of mom and all she’s gone through and I feel the need to check myself. To keep pushing myself. To take one day off at the most. Self doubt, lack of sales, countless frustrations all not only peek their heads but slap me across the face. Taxes were worthy of Indiana Jones, the PR government can go screw itself, ad clients shall always be ad clients, but god damn it, I’m Tony Montana in that last scene and if I’m going down, I’m going down in a blaze of glory.
I salute you, fellow Ravenclaw. And may we find a fourth wind because second winds are for wusses apparently.
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I feel like I’m one of those tiny birthday cake candles burning at both ends right now. Not going to last very long with that! Glad you have the drive but don’t drive yourself into the ground. 😉 No, seriously. Take care.
See? Sometimes, when we realize we’re going down in flames, we have to just appreciate that blaze of glory, you know? But don’t, you know, wind up a pile of ashes. Second winds give us just enough energy to do more of what drains us and we wind up worse off for it. We’re smarter than that. Ravenclaws unite! 💙
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Life is a struggle sometimes, and fitting everything in is hard. I know I’m trying to do too much, but i cant bear to let anything go. The poem is beautiful, thank you for sharing. 💗
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It really can be a struggle. I have no answers. Yeah, that poem is lovely. We’re not alone in our struggles for sure. Take care. 💗
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Lovely poem. Yep, up to my neck in it at the moment, (new job), but I can only do what I can only do. I will do my best to enjoy being in the moment despite the tower of ‘things to do’ leaning in an unsettling way! :0
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Ooh…up to your neck. Yikes. No drowning on my watch. You can only do what you can do. No more. 💗 Good luck in your new job and don’t get crushed by the TODO tower.
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Thank you xx I’ll be treading water and waving – when I can 🙂 🙂
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Whenever you can. I’ll be here waving back. 🙂 💗
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I’m here for the solidarity. Lol. Seriously, I love the poem and its connotation. I love your little rants with blatant honesty about striving to keep up. Just DON’T LEAVE. We’re in the same corner. I love your poetry btw and am oh so close to getting to your book! In the next month ( or so) I’ll be working on June interviews and I’ll be in touch. ❤
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Solidarity comes with chocolate so… 😉 Yeah, I’m blatantly honest. That’s me. Sharing when I mess up or fall down. It’s what I do. No plans to leave, just trying to keep my head above water. Thank you, my friend. 💗
Get to it when you can. I so appreciate it…whatever your plans and whenever you get to it. No need to add fuel to the fire.
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Right on girlfriend! 🙂 ❤
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Makes me want to burst into song with Bon Jovi, Blaze of Glory. That’s how we’re going down, right? Because there’s no denying that I’m going down. Heh. Beautiful light. I totally feel ya in this post.
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Yup. That’s how we’re going down. Beautiful light. Blaze of glory. I can’t say I’m glad for the company this time, though. Wish you were watching, not burning. 💗 (Or bringing buckets of water…)
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How interesting…after reading your blog it felt so much like how I felt when I wrote about my Weather Vane. I feel there are many of us who feel this way. Also, I love LOVE the photo you used. Thanks for sharing your feelings.
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Just read about the weathervane – great post. We are not alone in this feeling, you’re right about that. Take care of yourself. 💗 Thank you.
(I love that photo, too. Such a great shot of Edna.)
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I’m another fan of this poem – and of the photo you chose of Edna St Vincent Millay. She always seems so stylish to me.
As for you, please do not go down in flames. I hope more of the strange, beautiful moments you spoke of will emerge. 🙂
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I’m hoping those strange, beautiful moments emerge, too. When you’re going down in flames, sometimes you have to just see the poetry in the experience. Thanks, my friend. 💗
Agreed. Love this poem by Edna (and this photo of her).
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You’re not really going down in flames, are you? I hope not!
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Um… No? 😉 I’ve got marshmallows so all is well.
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Oh, I love Edna St Vincent Millay. One of my favorite lines and appreciate this month: “April comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.”
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That whole poem is amazing. And that line is brilliant. 🌸😝🌼
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Ooh, I love this: “April comes like an idiot…” I will be checking out this poem, tout suite!
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Oh, it’s a fantastic poem. Do check it out. Here’s the link: Spring
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Oh, my word. I absolutely love this poem, ‘Spring’. Just brilliant.
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The artists needs a little bit of madness to give us the push we need and then after creation everything falls back into place…
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There is a lot of truth in that. (Just hope the “falls back into place” part actually happens.) 😉
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Unfortunately, for some it didn’t / doesn’t. Anne Sexton wrote poetry as therapy and later committed suicide, which I think is so sad. It absurdly defeated the whole purpose of writing poetry on the first place. My take is that artists sometimes become too self absorbed and we really need to see the bigger picture. We are not alone in our misery or in our joys, and that’s one of the great values of blogs etc. We can share ideas, encourage and help each other💖 Family and friends also help out!
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Too true. For some, it doesn’t. I love Anne’s line: “Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.” Perhaps she did that. I see your point about becoming too immersed in our own world and not seeing outside but, sometimes, even looking outside ourselves doesn’t change what we hear in our soul. One can be surrounded by friends, family, other artists and it can make no difference. But one has to at least try, like you said, to see we’re not alone in our misery (or joy). Interesting thought about blogging in this context. 💖
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