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SUMMER by James Russell Lowell

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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.

Poet
James Russell Lowell
Themes
loneliness, love, memory
The PoemFull text

SUMMER

James Russell Lowell

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!_'

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

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.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. The little gate was reached at last, / Half hid in lilacs down the lane;

    Editor's note

    We begin with a poignant parting scene. The gate is nestled in a lane lined with lilacs — a private, almost hidden place. The woman pushes it open, glances back, and says *Auf wiedersehen* — which means "until we meet again" in German. That look over her shoulder reveals it all: she doesn’t want to leave, but she does.

  2. With hand on latch, a vision white / Lingered reluctant, and again

    Editor's note

    She pauses at the gate, called a "vision white" — wearing light clothing that makes her look almost ghostly in the evening light. The word *reluctant* carries a lot of weight here; she hesitates, unsure if she should say it again. When she finally does, the repetition of *Auf wiedersehen* feels softer and more intimate, like dew falling at night.

  3. The lamp's clear gleam flits up the stair; / I linger in delicious pain;

    Editor's note

    Now we’re inside the speaker’s head as he watches her lamp rise through the house. “Delicious pain” perfectly captures romantic longing—it hurts, yet he craves more of it. He wonders, questioning with *Auf wiedersehen*, if she’s thinking of him too as she heads to her room.

  4. 'Tis thirteen years; once more I press / The turf that silences the lane;

    Editor's note

    A sudden leap forward: thirteen years have gone by. He finds himself back at the same lane, walking the same ground. The phrase "silences the lane" feels oddly haunting — the grass softens his steps, and the lane seems quiet, as if it's holding its breath. Then the memories come rushing back: her dress, the lilacs, and her voice whispering goodbye.

  5. Sweet piece of bashful maiden art! / The English words had seemed too fain,

    Editor's note

    In the final stanza, the speaker takes a moment to think about *why* she chose German over English. "Too fain" translates to too eager or too forward. Using straightforward English phrases like "goodbye" or "until we meet again" would have felt too blunt, too openly optimistic. The foreign phrase allowed her to express tenderness while maintaining a sense of decorum between them — it brought them closer while still keeping things proper.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

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.

§05Symbols & metaphors

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.

§06Historical context

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.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

*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.

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