The Ballad of the Harp-Weaver

“The Ballad of the Harp-Weaver” by Edna St. Vincent Millay first appeared in Vanity Fair in 1922. In this ballad poem, an adult narrator reflects on the poverty of his childhood and his mother's devotion to keeping her son alive. The mother and son suffer through a long, hard winter and slowly starve. During a cold winter night, the poem takes a dreamlike turn as the mother begins to play her harp. The playing of her fingers upon the harp strings melds with the fantastical idea that as she creates music, she is also weaving warm clothing for her son. In the morning, the boy discovers that his mother has passed away; beside her is a pile of warm clothes that will fit the boy perfectly.

Poet Biography

An American lyrical poet and playwright, Edna St. Vincent Millay was a rebellious voice in the literary world. She was born in Rockland, Maine, February 22, 1892. As a youngster, she read the classics at home, but her defiance made formalized education practically impossible for her. Millay, her mother, and her two sisters moved frequently after her mother divorced their father.