--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty…" description: "\"Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs. / It is not enough that yearly, down this hill, / April / Comes like an idi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_april_life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a_1335275.jpg" --- # Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty cup, a flight of… ![“Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs. / It is not enough that yearly, down this hill, / April / Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.” quote by Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_april_life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a_1335275.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_april_life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a_1335275.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_april_life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a_1335275.jpg) > “Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs. / It is not enough that yearly, down this hill, / April / Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.” [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life feels empty and chaotic, like a stairless flight, yet seasons arrive absurdly. **In simple terms:** Life is empty, chaotic, and oddly beautiful. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and find meaning in small moments. Themes existence absurdity nature Mood melancholic contemplative Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - daily routine - creative work - seasonal changes Key Concepts nihilism beauty in mundanity Questions to Reflect On - How do you find purpose in routine? - What small beauty can you notice today? A Different Perspective Life’s emptiness can inspire creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [April](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/april/) [Empty cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty-cup/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Hills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hills/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [Spring TO what purpose, April, do you return again? Beauty is not enough. You can no longer quiet me with the redness Of little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/spring-to-what-purpose-april-do-you-return-again-beauty-is-not-enough/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [April comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/april-comes-like-an-idiot-babbling-and-strewing-flowers/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“At April' Toss your gay heads, Brown girl trees; Toss your gay lovely heads; Shake your brown slim bodies; Stretch your brown slim arms;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-april-toss-your-gay-heads-brown-girl-trees-toss-your-gay-lovely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“April comes to us, with her showers sweet. I wake to the cries of little birds before the light comes across the heath. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-hayes/april-comes-to-us-with-her-showers-sweet-i-wake-to-the-cries-of/) [Ned Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-hayes/) > [Life in itself Is nothing, An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a-flight-of-uncarpeted-stairs-2/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“ Song of a Second April APRIL this year, not otherwise Than April of a year ago Is full of whispers, full of sighs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/song-of-a-second-april-april-this-year-not-otherwise-than-april-of-a/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [People give me money and I don't know why, my real collection plate is an empty cup held by a homeless guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/people-give-me-money-and-i-don-t-know-why-my-real-collection-plate-is/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I found myself face to face with a long line of people resembling extras off the set of Night of the Living Dead: shuffling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frank/i-found-myself-face-to-face-with-a-long-line-of-people-resembling/) [Joan Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frank/) > [In order to taste my cup of water you must first empty your cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/in-order-to-taste-my-cup-of-water-you-must-first-empty-your-cup/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [Do not let the empty cup be your first teacher of the blessings you had when it was full. Do not let a bard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/do-not-let-the-empty-cup-be-your-first-teacher-of-the-blessings-you/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [“What, no wine?" said Dantes, turning pale, and looking alternately at the hollow cheeks of the old man and the empty cupboards. "What, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/what-no-wine-said-dantes-turning-pale-and-looking-alternately-at-the/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“I don’t think I deserve him.” Audrey shrugged. “Probably not. But he doesn’t deserve you, either. Maybe that’s why you’re perfect for each other.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/i-don-t-think-i-deserve-him-audrey-shrugged-probably-not-but-he-doesn/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [“She could. “As in, more than one,” said Danny. “It’s confirmed. They found a third body. The first one they found they thought was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lennon/she-could-as-in-more-than-one-said-danny-it-s-confirmed-they-found-a/) Christine Lennon > [“Fueled by my inspiration, I ran across the room to steal the cup of coffee the bookshelf had taken prisoner. Lapping the black watery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/fueled-by-my-inspiration-i-ran-across-the-room-to-steal-the-cup-of/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“A wise man knows how little he knows and upon his death he drinks wisdom from an empty cup.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tarttelin/a-wise-man-knows-how-little-he-knows-and-upon-his-death-he-drinks/) John Tarttelin ## More by Edna St. Vincent Millay > [Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/into-the-darkness-they-go-the-wise-and-the-lovely/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [There are a hundred places where I fear To go, --so with his memory they brim! And entering with relief some quiet place Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/there-are-a-hundred-places-where-i-fear-to-go-so-with-his-memory-they/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [The first rose on my rose-tree Budded, bloomed, and shattered, During sad days when to me Nothing mattered. Grief or grief has drained me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/the-first-rose-on-my-rose-tree-budded-bloomed-and-shattered-during/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [A Poem from Edna St. Vincent Millay: Grown-up Was it for this I uttered prayers, And sobbed and cursed and kicked the stairs, That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/a-poem-from-edna-st-vincent-millay-grown-up-was-it-for-this-i-uttered/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [She is happy where she lies With the dust upon her eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/she-is-happy-where-she-lies-with-the-dust-upon-her-eyes/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [And reaching up my hand to try, I screamed to feel it touch the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/and-reaching-up-my-hand-to-try-i-screamed-to-feel-it-touch-the-sky/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“And you as well must die, beloved dust, And all your beauty stand you in no stead; This flawless, vital hand, this perfect head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/and-you-as-well-must-die-beloved-dust-and-all-your-beauty-stand-you/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Oh, children, growing up to be Adventurers into sophistry, Forbear, forbear to be of those That read the rood to learn the rose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/oh-children-growing-up-to-be-adventurers-into-sophistry-forbear/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [After the feet of beauty fly my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/after-the-feet-of-beauty-fly-my-own/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Some of us have been thinking and talking too long without doing anything. Poems are perfect; picketing, sometimes, is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/some-of-us-have-been-thinking-and-talking-too-long-without-doing/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“But, sure, the sky is big, I said; Miles and miles above my head; So here upon my back I'll lie And look my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/but-sure-the-sky-is-big-i-said-miles-and-miles-above-my-head-so-here/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [pity me that the heart is slow to learn what the swift mind beholds at every turn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/pity-me-that-the-heart-is-slow-to-learn-what-the-swift-mind-beholds/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Youth, have no pity; leave no farthing here For age to invest in compromise and fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/youth-have-no-pity-leave-no-farthing-here-for-age-to-invest-in/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [My god is all gods in one. When I see a beautiful sunset, I worship the god of Nature; when I see a hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/my-god-is-all-gods-in-one-when-i-see-a-beautiful-sunset-i-worship-the/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“Tea was sucha comfort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/tea-was-sucha-comfort/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) [Explore all 260 Edna St. Vincent Millay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) ## More April quotes > [“I had a chat with May and I had a sweet talk with April but the lovely conversation that left me to ponder was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-had-a-chat-with-may-and-i-had-a-sweet-talk-with-april-but-the/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Two things you need to know about taxes. They've extended the deadline to April 18, and when you write your check, just make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/two-things-you-need-to-know-about-taxes-they-ve-extended-the-deadline/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be the artist?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel-when-i-could-be-the-artist/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [The air soft as that of Seville in April, and so fragrant that it was delicious to breathe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-air-soft-as-that-of-seville-in-april-and-so-fragrant-that-it-was/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Our opponents see an America in which every day is April 15, tax day. Well, we see an America in which every day is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/our-opponents-see-an-america-in-which-every-day-is-april-15-tax-day/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/here-cometh-april-again-and-as-far-as-i-can-see-the-world-hath-more/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [It felt like 10 years, but I was actually in treatment for three-and-a-half years. I finally finished in April. Two years ago, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suleika-jaouad/it-felt-like-10-years-but-i-was-actually-in-treatment-for-three-and-a/) [Suleika Jaouad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suleika-jaouad/) > [The air is like a butterfly With frail blue wings. The happy earth looks at the sky And sings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-kilmer/the-air-is-like-a-butterfly-with-frail-blue-wings-the-happy-earth/) [Joyce Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-kilmer/) > [At 1.24 am on 26 April 1986 Chernobyl’s Unit 4 reactor exploded after staff disabled safety systems and performed an ill-advised experiment to check…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lynas/at-1-24-am-on-26-april-1986-chernobyl-s-unit-4-reactor-exploded-after/) [Mark Lynas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lynas/) > [People born in April are very loving and caring people. They are the ones who have the best memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-born-in-april-are-very-loving-and-caring-people-they-are-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ah, March! we know thou art Kind-hearted, spite of ugly looks and threats, And, out of sight, art nursing April's violets!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt-jackson/ah-march-we-know-thou-art-kind-hearted-spite-of-ugly-looks-and/) [Helen Hunt Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt-jackson/) > [I know April, May and June are a few unbearable months, and working out in a gym and sweating in such dirty hot, sticky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-sharma/i-know-april-may-and-june-are-a-few-unbearable-months-and-working-out/) [Ashish Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-sharma/) > [Men are April when they woo, December when they wed...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/men-are-april-when-they-woo-december-when-they-wed/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Oh, to be in England Now that April's there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/oh-to-be-in-england-now-that-april-s-there-and-whoever-wakes-in/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) [Browse all 567 April quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/april/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs. / It is not enough that yearly, down this hill, / April / Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edna St. Vincent Millay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a-flight-of-uncarpeted-stairs/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "April" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a-flight-of-uncarpeted-stairs/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_april_life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a_1335275.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_april_life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a_1335275.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_april_life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a_1335275.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs. / It is not enough that yearly…” — Edna St. Vincent Millay", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edna St. Vincent Millay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Life in itself / Is nothing,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a-flight-of-uncarpeted-stairs/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/life-in-itself-is-nothing-an-empty-cup-a-flight-of-uncarpeted-stairs/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```