Which statement best expresses a theme in the poem "love is not all" by edna st. vincent millay? love isn't as necessary as food and shelter are, but love is very important. love cannot be truly felt or experienced until one's other basic needs are met. love is more powerful than anything else, even the need for food and shelter. love isn't the most important thing, but it is more important than food or shelter

The statement which best expresses a theme in the poem "Love Is Not All" by Edna St. Vincent Millay is: Love isn't as necessary as food and shelter are, but love is very important. The speaker of the poem is a young woman who claims that love is not a necessity, but she also  believes that it is not unimportant. Even though she employs a lot of cynicism, comparing love to basic necessities, she admits that love has its purpose for people's lives.