Rely on Love in Life in Love Is Not All: Not Meat nor Drink

Rely on Love in Life in Love is Not All: Not Meat nor Drink

Edna St. Vincent Millay was born in Rockland, Maine, in 1892. She later settled down in New York City, where she became famous for her lyric poetry, especially as a writer of sonnets. Millay was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. She was also known for writing poetry about nature and politics, as well as short stories, plays, and a libretto for opera. In her poem Love is Not All: Not Meat nor Drink, she reveals the purpose of love that is shared between two people, but should we always rely on this love. The main question she asks her readers is to think do we need that special love to balance our daily lives. Millay gives the readers that there will never be a correct or wrong answer, because we all know that love is not all there is in life, even though we may want it to be.

The title itself Love is Not All: Not Meat nor Drink, Millay expresses her heartache about her love and feelings. She seems to be telling her readers that people in generally always think too much on the topic of love. Even though, love is not “meat nor drink”, it will never keep us living. Shortly after, Millay states “Love cannot fill the thickened lung with breath,” (5). Clearly this is implying that this love can be useless and can end up being miserable. Love does not always save you from a drowning, so people cannot always depend on love to always have your back. “Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain,” (2). Millay meaning we do need to compare love as an accessory, because if it is there is no need for it.

However, Millay suddenly reverses her meanings that without combining love, someone “yet many a man is making friends with death,” (7). Millay reasoning behind this is we know that love can always not make you survive, but deprived of it you will nearly perish. By now Millay is making you question yourself are you willing to exchange love for your life’s