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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


SONNET: 11 by EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY

Poem Explanation Poet Analysis

First Line: I SHALL FORGET YOU PRESENTLY, MY DEAR
Last Line: IS IDLE, BIOLOGICALLY SPEAKING.

I shall forget you presently, my dear,
So make the most of this, your little day,
Your little month, your little half a year,
Ere I forget, or die, or move away,
And we are done forever; by and by
I shall forget you, as I said, but now,
If you entreat me with my favorite vow.
I would indeed that love were longer-lived,
And oaths were not so brittle as they are,
But so it is, and nature has contrived
To struggle on without a break thus far, --
Whether or not we find what we are seeking
Is idle, biologically speaking.
















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