SUMMER by James Russell Lowell: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
A man recalls a young woman bidding him farewell at a garden gate, using the German phrase "Auf wiedersehen" — which means "until we meet again" — rather than a simple English goodbye.
The poem
The little gate was reached at last, Half hid in lilacs down the lane; She pushed it wide, and, as she past, A wistful look she backward cast, And said,--'_Auf wiedersehen!_' With hand on latch, a vision white Lingered reluctant, and again Half doubting if she did aright, Soft as the dews that fell that night, She said,--'_Auf wiedersehen!_' The lamp's clear gleam flits up the stair; I linger in delicious pain; Ah, in that chamber, whose rich air To breathe in thought I scarcely dare, Thinks she,--'_Auf wiedersehen?_' ... 'Tis thirteen years; once more I press The turf that silences the lane; I hear the rustle of her dress, I smell the lilacs, and--ah, yes, I hear '_Auf wiedersehen!_' Sweet piece of bashful maiden art! The English words had seemed too fain, But these--they drew us heart to heart, Yet held us tenderly apart; She said, '_Auf wiedersehen!_'
A man recalls a young woman bidding him farewell at a garden gate, using the German phrase "Auf wiedersehen" — which means "until we meet again" — rather than a simple English goodbye. Thirteen years later, he finds himself back in that same lane, and the memory is so clear that he can nearly hear her voice and smell the lilacs once more. The poem captures how a small moment, filled with emotion, can remain vividly etched in our minds for years.
Line-by-line
The little gate was reached at last, / Half hid in lilacs down the lane;
With hand on latch, a vision white / Lingered reluctant, and again
The lamp's clear gleam flits up the stair; / I linger in delicious pain;
'Tis thirteen years; once more I press / The turf that silences the lane;
Sweet piece of bashful maiden art! / The English words had seemed too fain,
Tone & mood
The tone is gentle and filled with nostalgia, carrying a hint of sweet longing. Lowell maintains a subtle approach — avoiding dramatic expressions of grief or grand declarations of love — presenting a man quietly reflecting on a moment that has stayed with him. As the poem transitions from the present scene to memory, the mood becomes even softer, arriving at a sense of wistful contentment rather than sadness.
Symbols & metaphors
- The lilacs — Lilacs symbolize first love and memories in 19th-century poetry. In this case, their scent transports the speaker back over thirteen years more vividly than any visual detail could.
- The gate — The gate represents the divide between togetherness and separation. She pushes it open and steps through, a tangible act of leaving. Her hand lingers on the latch, revealing her hesitation to completely cross that line.
- *Auf wiedersehen* — The German phrase — which translates to "until we see each other again" — serves as the emotional heart of the poem. It's a promise cloaked in politeness. Since it’s in a foreign language, it evokes deep feelings while still adhering to the social decorum expected of a young woman in the 1800s.
- The lamp climbing the stair — The moving lamp is the final reminder of her presence that the speaker can cling to. It signifies her withdrawal into her own private world, and when it finally vanishes, it truly marks the end of their time together that evening.
- The turf of the lane — When the speaker comes back after thirteen years and "presses the turf," the ground transforms into a guardian of memories. The grass that muffles his footsteps appears to carry the echoes of what once was.
Historical context
James Russell Lowell wrote this poem in the mid-19th century when German culture and language had a certain romantic allure in American literary circles. A Harvard alum, Lowell was a poet, essayist, and diplomat who spent time in Europe and was fluent in multiple languages. The phrase *Auf wiedersehen* was familiar to educated American readers of his time, so the woman's use of it would have come across as both cultured and playfully intentional. The poem fits into a wider Romantic tradition that captures a single powerful moment — like a farewell, a glance, or a softly spoken word — as the beginning of lasting memory. It was published during a time when sentimental lyric poetry about love and memory was hugely popular, and the poem's subtle emotion and melodic refrain matched the preferences of his audience perfectly.
FAQ
*Auf wiedersehen* is German for "until we meet again" or "until we see each other again." In the final stanza, the speaker reflects that saying the same thing in English would have seemed "too fain" — too eager, too openly romantic. By using a foreign phrase, she could convey genuine feelings while maintaining a bit of distance through the formality of another language. It was a subtle, clever way to protect her emotions.
Lowell never makes it explicit, which adds to the poem's charm. The details — the hesitant farewell, the "delicious pain," the thirteen years of cherished memories — suggest a young love that was either never fully expressed or never fully experienced. It's unclear whether they separated due to circumstances, choice, or something more definitive, leaving it open to interpretation.
The poem leaves out certain details, and that silence is intentional. What’s important is that when he comes back, the place brings back such strong sensory memories that he can hear her voice and smell the lilacs. The thirteen-year gap only makes that memory feel even more vivid.
It's Lowell's way of expressing that bittersweet longing—it's that ache you almost cherish because it shows how much you truly care. The speaker stands in the dark, observing her lamp flicker throughout the house, experiencing a mix of pleasure and pain all at once.
The poem consists of five stanzas, each with five lines. Every stanza concludes with a variation of *Auf wiedersehen*, serving as a refrain. The rhyme scheme follows ABAAB, and the meter is mostly iambic tetrameter. This repeated refrain imparts a song-like, nearly hypnotic quality to the poem, reflecting how the phrase lingers in the speaker's memory.
It portrays the woman lingering at the gate in the evening light, wearing light or white clothing. The term "vision" serves two purposes: it captures what the speaker sees and also transforms her into an almost dreamlike figure, one that will linger in his thoughts long after she has left.
There's no specific biographical event that directly relates to the poem. While Lowell faced loss and longing in his life—his first wife, Maria White, passed away at a young age—this poem feels more like a carefully crafted lyric in the Romantic style rather than a straightforward diary entry. The "I" in the poem should be seen as a speaker, not necessarily as Lowell himself.
It means the grassy ground of the lane softens his footsteps as he walks. But "silences" also adds an emotional layer — the lane feels still, as if time has paused there. This creates a subtly eerie, respectful atmosphere, like stepping into a space that has been patiently awaiting someone.