Ebb

Millay’s poem is a lyric, as it’s short and centers on personal expression. What propels the speaker to write the poem is a subjective experience with love. Having dealt with an “ebb” of love, the speaker feels diminished and confronts her feelings through the lyrical form. Although the poem features no gendered pronouns, Millay's romantic strife regularly served as a source for her poems on the difficulties of love. Whether the speaker is specifically Millay isn’t too important because a deep understanding of the poem is possible without tying the speaker directly to Millay.

The poem begins in a declarative tone. The speaker is sure about something, and she will announce what she’s certain of: “I know what my heart is like / Since your love died” (Lines 1-2). The speaker is conscious of what’s happened to her heart since the love from her romantic partner vanished. As her heart has not fared well, the speaker's tone is not positive or cheerful. She knows her heart has been far from great since she broke up with her partner.

The word “died” (Line 2) also establishes the tone of the poem.