BY SIEGFRIED AUGUST MAHLMANN by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This short poem translates a German verse by Siegfried August Mahlmann into English, courtesy of Longfellow.
The poem
Allah gives light in darkness, Allah gives rest in pain, Cheeks that are white with weeping Allah paints red again. The flowers and the blossoms wither, Years vanish with flying fleet; But my heart will live on forever, That here in sadness beat. Gladly to Allah's dwelling Yonder would I take flight; There will the darkness vanish, There will my eyes have sight. **********
This short poem translates a German verse by Siegfried August Mahlmann into English, courtesy of Longfellow. It conveys a profound trust in God (Allah) to alleviate suffering and bring back joy, as the speaker anticipates leaving this painful world for a more hopeful afterlife. You can see it as a gentle prayer from someone in pain, holding on to the hope that everything will eventually be okay — though perhaps not in this life.
Line-by-line
Allah gives light in darkness, / Allah gives rest in pain,
The flowers and the blossoms wither, / Years vanish with flying fleet;
Gladly to Allah's dwelling / Yonder would I take flight;
Tone & mood
The tone expresses a quiet devotion mixed with sorrow, yet it avoids despair. There’s a sense of steadiness — the speaker feels pain, but it’s contained within a faith that prevents it from descending into hopelessness. By the last stanza, the mood transforms into something resembling longing and even a sense of relief.
Symbols & metaphors
- Light and darkness — The poem prominently contrasts darkness and light. Darkness represents suffering, ignorance, and the sadness of life on Earth. In contrast, light symbolizes God's presence and the clarity of the afterlife. The final stanza resolves this tension by assuring that darkness will no longer exist in Allah's dwelling.
- Withering flowers and blossoms — A timeless reminder of mortality and life's fleeting nature. Flowers, while stunning, have a short lifespan, and the poem uses them to represent all that fades in the physical world — such as our years, health, and happiness.
- The heart that beats in sadness — The speaker's heart symbolizes the soul or inner self. Unlike flowers that fade away, this heart is granted eternal life. Its "sad" beating here on earth makes the promise of its survival even more significant — it is not a joyful heart being rewarded, but a wounded one finding redemption.
- Flight — The image of soaring toward Allah's dwelling evokes the soul's liberation from the body at death. It implies a sense of freedom and lightness, contrasting sharply with the weight of grief.
- Red cheeks — Weeping drains color from the face; red cheeks brought back by God indicate the return of vitality, health, and joy. This is one of the poem's most vivid and relatable images, anchoring the abstract concept of divine comfort in something tangible and observable.
Historical context
Siegfried August Mahlmann (1771–1826) was a German poet and journalist, and this poem comes from his collection of German-language lyrics. Longfellow, one of the most popular American poets of the 19th century, was fluent in several languages and translated poetry from French, German, Spanish, Italian, and more throughout his career. His translations played a significant role in bringing European literary culture to American audiences. This poem reflects the 19th-century Western interest in Islamic and Eastern spiritual traditions, often viewed through a Romantic lens. The choice of "Allah" instead of "God" keeps the poem rooted in its original tradition, while Longfellow’s lyrical, hymn-like English makes it easily relatable for the general Protestant readers of his time.
FAQ
Mahlmann wrote the original poem in German, and Longfellow translated it into English. That's why the title acknowledges Mahlmann, while the author credit goes to Longfellow. You can think of Longfellow as the poet behind the English version you’re reading.
Because the original German poem by Mahlmann was voiced by a Muslim speaker, it uses the Arabic word for God. Longfellow chose to keep "Allah" in his translation to honor that cultural and religious identity. This decision also reflects a 19th-century Romantic fascination with Eastern and Islamic themes.
That God alleviates suffering, that life on Earth is brief and often painful, yet the soul is everlasting — and that death is not to be feared but embraced with joy, as it signifies entering God's presence where all darkness ceases.
When you cry frequently, your face can lose its color. The image here suggests that God brings back color — and with it, health, joy, and life — to a face worn down by grief. This is a tangible, human way to express divine comfort.
"Flying fleet" is a dated expression for "very quickly." This line suggests that years fly by, emphasizing that nothing in nature endures for long.
Longing for heaven. The speaker expresses a willingness to "gladly" ascend to Allah's dwelling, but this reflects a deep spiritual yearning rather than a desire for self-harm. Within the poem's religious context, death is viewed as a natural transition to God's presence, and the speaker anticipates it with no fear.
The poem features anaphora by repeating "Allah gives" at the beginning of several lines, as well as simple end rhymes like pain/again, fleet/beat, and flight/sight. It also explores contrasts, such as darkness versus light and withering versus eternal life. The short lines and steady rhythm create a hymn-like quality.
It probably refers to spiritual sight — the ability to genuinely see and comprehend, which is often clouded in our earthly existence. It might also resonate with the biblical and Quranic concept of the afterlife as a realm of complete revelation, where everything that was once hidden or unclear becomes clear.