Amorphous is the mind

Edna St. Vincent Millay

1892 to 1950

Poem Image
Track 1

Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.

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The mind cries "Up! Oh, up!
But a man's habit clings
Can pummel it for hours yet leave it like a leaf on a still day unstirred.
And tries his best to button across a keelshaped breast a coat knobbed out by new wings.
Awkwardly, not like a bird
At first (though later); the rustle of a thing half-heard
And he will wear tomorrow what today he wears.
Is in its fibre, not its form;
Learning feathers, but the man loathes it.
Out of thrift, and fear of next year's feathers, he clothes it in last years things
Amorphous is the mind; its quality
The mind is happy in the air, happy to be up there with
If it desire to fly it puts on wings,
Can twist it as iron at times is twisted by a wind-storm or word after word
Look! I can lift you!" but he smothers its cry;
Oh, let me try to fly!