Oct. 26, 2025

"First Fig" by Edna St. Vincent Millay

"First Fig" by Edna St. Vincent Millay
"First Fig" by Edna St. Vincent Millay
The Concise Verse
"First Fig" by Edna St. Vincent Millay

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!

1
00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:06,340
"First Fig" by Edna St. Vincent Millay.

2
00:00:08,850 --> 00:00:14,360
My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night;

3
00:00:15,140 --> 00:00:21,620
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends-- It gives a lovely light!

4
00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:29,120
"First Fig" by Edna St. Vincent Millay.

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"First Fig": Edna St. Vincent Millay's Celebration of Passion

Edna St. Vincent Millay's "First Fig," published in 1920, is an iconic four-line poem that serves as a powerful manifesto for living life with passionate intensity. Its famous lines perfectly distill the rebellious spirit of the Jazz Age, making it …