Penny's poetry pages Wiki
"Where there's smoke, there's fire" (detail), by Russell Patterson (1893-1977), 1920's. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

"Where there's smoke, there's fire" (detail), by Russell Patterson (1893-1977), 1920's. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Only until this cigarette is ended  (1921) 
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
from Second April, 1921


Only until this cigarette is ended[]


Only until this cigarette is ended
A little moment at the end of all,
While on the floor the quiet ashes fall,
And in the firelight to a lance extended,
Bizarrely with the jazzing music blended,
The broken shadow dances on the wall,
I will permit my memory to recall
The vision of you, by all my dreams attended.
And then adieu,– farewell! – the dream is done.
Yours is a face of which I can forget
The colour and the features, every one.
The words not ever, and the smile not yet;
But in your day this moment is the sun
Upon a hill, after the sun has set.


Audio / video[]

Only_until_this_cigarette_is_ended_-_anna_carla_jazz_group

Only until this cigarette is ended - anna carla jazz group

"Only_until_this_cigarette_is_ended"_by_Edna_St._Vincent_Millay

"Only until this cigarette is ended" by Edna St. Vincent Millay











External links[]

Audio / video

This poem is in the public domain