Girl Called Vincent: The Life of Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay

Girl Called Vincent: The Life of Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay — page 9
Vincent s mother Cora Buzzell Millay is shown here a year before her marriage Edna St Vincent Millay Papers Manuscript Division Library of Congress Washington DC Another time Vincent and Norma performed the cakewalk together high stepping arms akimbo to an oompah rhythm played by Cora The cakewalk was a dance made popular through minstrel shows and audiences applauded the talented little sisters strut ting their stuff I'd bend down all this in rhythm to the music Mother was playing on the piano or the organ maybe one two I'd tie Vincent's shoe Norma recalled Then we'd throw back our heads take arms and strut and cakewalk down Vincent adored her mother and wanted to do everything she did They didn't have a piano but they did have an organ Cora always keen to nourish her daughters talents taught Vincent to play even though her little legs were too short to reach the ped als The two of them spent hours together at the instrument Cora working the pedals while deter Page 19