SONG by James Russell Lowell: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
Lowell speaks to a violet flower like an old friend, noting its blue petals and tear-like dew as he contemplates profound questions about sadness, longing, and the essence of contentment.
The poem
Violet! sweet violet! Thine eyes are full of tears; Are they wet Even yet With the thought of other years? Or with gladness are they full, For the night so beautiful, And longing for those far-off spheres? Loved one of my youth thou wast, Of my merry youth, And I see, Tearfully, All the fair and sunny past, All its openness and truth, Ever fresh and green in thee As the moss is in the sea. Thy little heart, that hath with love Grown colored like the sky above, On which thou lookest ever,-- Can it know All the woe Of hope for what returneth never, All the sorrow and the longing To these hearts of ours belonging? Out on it! no foolish pining For the sky Dims thine eye, Or for the stars so calmly shining; Like thee let this soul of mine Take hue from that wherefor I long, Self-stayed and high, serene and strong, Not satisfied with hoping--but divine. Violet! dear violet! Thy blue eyes are only wet With joy and love of Him who sent thee, And for the fulfilling sense Of that glad obedience Which made thee all that Nature meant thee!
Lowell speaks to a violet flower like an old friend, noting its blue petals and tear-like dew as he contemplates profound questions about sadness, longing, and the essence of contentment. Ultimately, he concludes that the violet isn't sad; it's just fulfilling its purpose, and this adherence to its own nature brings it joy. The poem offers a gentle lesson: let go of yearning for what you can't attain and embrace the serenity of simply being yourself.
Line-by-line
Violet! sweet violet! / Thine eyes are full of tears;
Loved one of my youth thou wast, / Of my merry youth,
Thy little heart, that hath with love / Grown colored like the sky above,
Out on it! no foolish pining / For the sky
Violet! dear violet! / Thy blue eyes are only wet
Tone & mood
The tone begins softly and somewhat melancholic—the type of wistfulness that arises when you behold something small and beautiful that takes you back to your youth. In the fourth stanza, it changes to a more brisk and self-correcting tone, as if Lowell is having a quiet word with himself. By the end, the mood feels calm and devotional, embracing a warm, resolved peace instead of sadness.
Symbols & metaphors
- The violet — The violet serves as the poem's main symbol, representing the idea of achieving one's purpose. Its blue color, petite size, and upward-facing petals are interpreted as indicators of a being completely at ease with its identity and its intended role.
- Tears / dew on the petals — The moisture on the flower's petals takes on different meanings throughout the poem. Initially, it seems to convey grief or longing, but by the end, Lowell concludes it represents joy. This same image can evoke contrasting feelings based on the reader's interpretation — illustrating the very lesson he's learning.
- The sky / blue color — The sky symbolizes the divine and the ideal. The violet has "grown colored" by constantly looking up at it, implying that continuous love and attention truly influence who you become. Lowell wishes for his own soul to be similarly shaped by his aspirations.
- Moss in the sea — Moss growing underwater represents a serene vision of life and greenery in an unexpected, hidden environment. It evokes memories of youth that remain clear and vibrant, even when they're tucked away deep in the past.
- The night / stars — The night sky and its stars embody beauty and transcendence, evoking feelings of either longing or pure wonder. Lowell uses them to differentiate between unhealthy yearning and a healthy, grounded aspiration.
Historical context
James Russell Lowell wrote this poem early in his career during the 1840s, influenced by the Romantic tradition that sought moral and spiritual meaning in nature. American Romanticism, shaped by writers like Emerson and the Transcendentalists, encouraged a close, reverent attention to small details in nature as reflections of larger truths. At the same time, Lowell was experiencing personal intensity; he was in love with Maria White, a fellow poet who had a strong moral impact on him. Many of his early lyrics blend this personal tenderness with a quest for spirituality. The violet, symbolizing modesty, faithfulness, and spiritual aspiration, had a rich literary history dating back to Shakespeare and the European Romantics, so Lowell's readers would have instantly recognized its significance. The poem fits within the tradition of addressing a flower, a form used by Burns, Wordsworth, and Keats, while moving towards a uniquely American, Protestant sense of realizing one's God-given nature.
FAQ
On the surface, this piece reflects on a violet flower, but it delves deeper into the themes of longing and dissatisfaction. Lowell begins by attributing sadness to the flower, only to discover that the violet is actually quite content, simply existing as it was intended. He concludes with a desire for his own soul to embody that same state: purposeful, calm, and free from the weight of unfulfilled aspirations.
He's using personification—treating the dew on the flower's petals like tears in a person's eyes. This technique projects human emotion onto the flower, allowing him to explore what those "tears" signify. Throughout the poem, he comes to understand that he misinterpreted the flower's expression; the moisture is actually a sign of joy.
It means happily embracing the purpose you were made for. Lowell taps into a religious concept—that God or Nature crafted each creature with a unique role, and true happiness comes from fully accepting that role instead of chasing after something different. The violet feels "glad" because it has no desire beyond being the best violet it can be.
It's a slight exclamation of dismissal, similar to saying "nonsense!" or "come off it!" Lowell catches himself mid-thought, pushing back against the notion that the violet longs for the sky. This moment represents the poem's turning point, as he shifts from projecting sadness onto the flower to finding a positive lesson in it instead.
He's providing a poetic take on why violets are blue: they soak up the sky's color by looking up at it with affection. This isn't just a botanical observation; it leans into a spiritual concept—that ongoing love and focus can transform your essence. He desires the same for his own soul: to be tinted by what he genuinely loves and strives for.
Yes, quietly so. The final stanza talks about "Him who sent thee" — referring to God — and the whole closing movement focuses on a creature fulfilling its divine purpose. However, the religious sentiment is integrated into a nature poem instead of being presented as doctrine. This aligns with the American Transcendentalist tendency to discover God through a deep appreciation of the natural world.
The rhyme scheme is flexible and changes from stanza to stanza instead of sticking to a set pattern. Lowell incorporates a mix of short lines and longer ones, along with internal rhymes ("wet / yet", "woe / know") and some near-rhymes. This creates a lyrical, somewhat uneven quality—fitting for a piece called "Song"—as opposed to the more rigid structure found in traditional lyrics.
He's talking to the violet as a flower he cherished in his youth — this continues the personification. But there's probably a personal angle as well: Lowell was a young man in love when he penned early lyrics like this, and his longing for "merry youth" and its "openness and truth" hints that he's also grieving the simple emotions of being young.