In December of 1998, my father-in-law began sharing his love of poetry with a few of his office colleagues by e-mailing monthly poems to them. I was added to the mailing list sometime in 2000, and thoroughly enjoyed reading his monthly selections. In January of 2004, I was inspired to follow Gene’s lead and begin this Poem of the Month email so that I could also share my love of poetry with my own friends, family and colleagues – poetic ripples extending outward, so to speak.
After seven years, Gene has decided to retire his poem of the month. I am thankful for Gene’s inspiration and friendship, and dedicate this month’s Poem of the Month to him. Thank you, Gene, for sharing with all of us your passion for words and your passion for life. I do not think I would ever trade those memories…
Edna St. Vincent Millay
(1892 – 1950)
Love Is Not All
Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink
Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain;
Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink
And rise and sink and rise and sink again;
Love can not fill the thickened lung with breath,
Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;
Yet many a man is making friends with death
Even as I speak, for lack of love alone.
It well may be that in a difficult hour,
Pinned down by pain and moaning for release,
Or nagged by want past resolution’s power,
I might be driven to sell your love for peace,
Or trade the memory of this night for food.
It well may be. I do not think I would.
