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Love is not all

• by Edna St. Vincent Millay

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Love is not all
Love is not all it is not meat nor drinkNor
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 cannot 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 resolutions
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. By
Edna St. Vincent Millay
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Rhyme Scheme
Love is not all it is not meat nor drinkNor
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 cannot 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 resolutions
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.
ABABCDCDEFEFGG
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Alliteration
L N M R B P for emphasis
Love is not all it is not meat nor drinkNor
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 cannot 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 resolutions
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. By
Edna St. Vincent Millay
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Imagery
Love is not all it is not meat nor drinkNor
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 cannot 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 resolutions
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.
Touch Taste Smell Sound Sight
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Connections
Love is not all it is not meat nor drinkNor
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 cannot 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 resolutions
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.
SUBJECT NOT/NOR AND OR FOR WITH
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Sections
Love is not all it is not meat nor drinkNor
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 cannot 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 resolutions
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.
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Effect
What literary elements are used what is their
effect?
What is the effect of the rhyme and rhythm?
Why are so many words repeated?
Love is not all it is not meat nor drinkNor
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 cannot 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 resolutions
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.
What are the most vivid images?
How is your response to the poem influenced by
these specific details?
How does alliteration influence your reading of
the poem?