The Ballad of the Harp-weaver

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Jan 1922 · Frank Shay

Ratings and reviews

Christmas miracles in the realm of the destitute Throughout these numerous years that I have participated in the #nobelreadingchallenge and the #pulitzerreadingchallenge , I have undertaken some massive works of poetry that span several hundred pages. #theballadoftheharpweaver by #ednastvincentmillay was a pleasant surprise in that it was a single, focused and concise poem about the love of a mother for her son. Widowed and left on abject poverty, the poem tells of the heartfelt sacrifice the mother makes to make the holiday a little less miserable for her son. As the story is set in the winter in the shadow of Christmas it definitely feels as if it should be read out loud in front of a raging hearth. As it is in the vein of "Gift of the Magi" and "A Visit From St. Nicholas" (aka Night Before Christmas " , it is surprising that it didn't make it into the traditional pantheon of holiday tales.