freshet
"Fear once again the rising freshet Dread the bell in the fog outside"


Main Entry: fresh·et
Pronunciation: 'fre-sh&t
Function: noun
Date: 1596
1 archaic : STREAM 1
2 a : a great rise or overflowing of a stream caused by heavy rains or
melted snow b : something resembling or suggesting a freshet <a
                     freshet of visitors>

    In this poem Edna St. Vincent Millay is saying that she can't wait to be back near the ocean where she can be afraid of, as usual, the rising water wash over the bell that is surrounded by fog outside along the ocean. Freshet is referring to a great rise or overflowing of a stream caused by heavy rains or melted snow.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Back to Poem