After reading Nancy Milford's extraordinarily fascinating tome, Savage Beauty, about the great American poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay, i've become deeply transfixed with the story of this brilliant bohemian, who lived her life with dramatic élan. After winning the first Pulitzer Prize awarded to a woman for poetry, she became the most famous person in America, and her readings in the 1920s were more like rock shows . . . with screams for encores, and young fans swarming around just to breathe-in her velvet-clad ethereal air.
Above: E.St.V.M as a little witch, c.1800s (posted just in time for Hallow's Eve!)
Most of her life was spent high atop a hill in Austerlitz, NY, at Steepletop . . . the beloved farm estate (named after a wildflower), where she resided with her husband, Eugen Boissevain, until her passing. It is a National Historic Landmark that has been turned into a museum, along with an old barn that is now the Millay Colony for the Arts, as per the wishes of Vincent (as she preferred to be called) and her sister, Norma Millay Ellis, who oversaw the estate until 1986.
Norma made sure that every detail in the home was exactly as Vincent left it, much to the joy of devotees, like me. Mr. Taylor and I took our dear friends Doris and Joe to tour the house and its verdant grounds on October 17th, the day before the anniversary of her passing. It was terribly moving to stand in her boudoir, looking at her little glass pill bottles and travel souvenirs, and even more wondrous was her private library, filled with thousands of first editions, each one well-loved, and in the middle of the room, a blanketed chaise, and a funny little hand-painted "silent" sign hanging from the ceiling. We all sighed when it was time to exit, as none of us ever wanted to leave.
Yet the most intense experience for me, was Vincent's stunning Poet's Trail, where she and Eugen frequently rambled, and where both their spirits were eventually laid to rest, along with her beloved mother and muse, Cora Millay. On the chilly Fall day when we visited, travelling down her well-worn path, covered with Technicolor leaves, acorns, and bright green moss, I really felt as if I were walking in a dream. And when we arrived at Vincent and Eugen's memorial, the tears began to roll. It would be impossible for any visitor not to feel the poignancy of this artist's life.
Steepletop is closed for the season, but check their site for upcoming events, as it is truly an unforgettable place. And for more photos from our magical day, visit the full gallery here.
All photos (except Vincent the witch): © Nic & J.B. Taylor
what a beautiful post with beautiful photos!
Posted by: Alice | October 27, 2010 at 05:12 PM
i've been looking for a new book to read... "Savage Beauty" looks like just the thing! thanks Jennifer!
Posted by: sarahwl | October 27, 2010 at 06:35 PM
It is a really addictive and juicy tome, and I was horribly sad when it ended. Now i'm going to read all her sonnets, and another book on her lovers. Let me know what you think after you conquer it : )
Posted by: J.B. Taylor | October 27, 2010 at 06:46 PM
I will have to read that book. These pictures are beautiful, it all looks very lovely and what a good time of year to visit.
http://pennydreadfulvintage.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Penny Dreadful Vintage | October 28, 2010 at 03:29 AM
You've made the pilgrimage I've wanted to for years. I dream of seeing her home and rambling the poetry trail... thanks for bringing it to me and for this beautiful blog entry..
Posted by: Paul Sook | January 12, 2012 at 08:25 PM