First Fig by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Full Text

My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!

Overview

Four lines that defined the Jazz Age. The candle burning at both ends became a catchphrase for living fast and recklessly. Millay addresses "foes" and "friends" alike—she doesn't care what either thinks. The exclamation "lovely light!" makes self-destruction glamorous. It's a manifesto for intensity over longevity.

Line-by-Line Analysis

Lines 1

"Burns at both ends"—impossible literally, but the image is clear: using yourself up twice as fast. The candle is her life.

Lines 2

"Will not last the night"—she knows the cost. This isn't ignorance but choice. Short but bright.

Lines 3

"Foes, and oh, my friends"—she addresses everyone, dismissing both disapproval and concern. Neither will stop her.

Lines 4

"It gives a lovely light!"—the payoff. The light justifies the burning. Beauty over duration.

Themes

• Living intensely
• Youth and recklessness
• Defiance of convention
• Beauty over longevity

Literary Devices

Extended metaphor

Candle as life — The single image carries the whole poem—burning, brightness, brevity.

Apostrophe

"my foes, and oh, my friends" — Addressing an audience makes this a public declaration, not private musing.

Exclamation

"lovely light!" — The enthusiasm in the final line makes recklessness sound joyful, not regretful.

Historical Context

Published in 1920, this became the anthem of the Roaring Twenties. Millay lived the poem—she was famous for love affairs, late nights, and bohemian Greenwich Village life. The "candle burning at both ends" entered common speech.