TO CINNA by Eugene Field: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
A grieving speaker talks to Cinna, a dear one who has passed away, connecting their loss to that of an ancient Roman poet who also mourned his Cinna long ago.
The poem
Cinna, the great Venusian told In songs that will not die How in Augustan days of old Your love did glorify His life and all his being seemed Thrilled by that rare incense Till, grudging him the dreams he dreamed, The gods did call you hence. Cinna, I've looked into your eyes, And held your hands in mine, And seen your cheeks in sweet surprise Blush red as Massic wine; Now let the songs in Cinna's praise Be chanted once again, For, oh! alone I walk the ways We walked together then! Perhaps upon some star to-night, So far away in space I cannot see that beacon light Nor feel its soothing grace-- Perhaps from that far-distant sphere Her quickened vision seeks For this poor heart of mine that here To its lost Cinna speaks. Then search this heart, beloved eyes, And find it still as true As when in all my boyhood skies My guiding stars were you! Cinna, you know the mystery That is denied to men-- Mine is the lot to feel that we Shall elsewhere love again!
A grieving speaker talks to Cinna, a dear one who has passed away, connecting their loss to that of an ancient Roman poet who also mourned his Cinna long ago. The poem flows through themes of memory, longing, and the night sky, ultimately resting on a strong conviction that the two lovers will reunite beyond death. It serves as both a love poem and a grief poem, concluding not with despair but with a quiet, determined hope.
Line-by-line
Cinna, the great Venusian told / In songs that will not die
Cinna, I've looked into your eyes, / And held your hands in mine,
Perhaps upon some star to-night, / So far away in space
Then search this heart, beloved eyes, / And find it still as true
Tone & mood
The tone is tender and elegiac—mournful yet never bitter. Field writes with the quiet ache of someone who has come to terms with a loss, though not entirely at peace with it. The language has a classical composure that prevents the emotion from becoming overly sentimental, and the final stanza elevates the poem into something resembling serene conviction rather than just raw grief.
Symbols & metaphors
- The star — The distant, invisible star symbolizes both the afterlife and Cinna herself — alive in the speaker's imagination but entirely out of reach. Its light is described as "soothing" yet unattainable, reflecting the dual nature of believing in an afterlife: it offers comfort in theory but brings pain in reality.
- The shared path / ways — "The ways we walked together then" evokes a powerful image of grief: a path that now symbolizes the absence of the person who once shared it with you. Walking alone on that route, where you used to walk together, makes the reality of loss feel tangible and real.
- Massic wine — A well-known Roman wine that describes the hue of Cinna's blush. It serves a dual purpose—it preserves the classical context while also conveying warmth, pleasure, and vitality, all of which the speaker has now lost.
- Boyhood skies / guiding stars — The speaker likens Cinna to the stars that illuminated his youth, portraying her as both a guiding light in his personal journey and a symbol of his moral and emotional compass. Without her, it suggests he's left to find his way by recalling the past alone.
Historical context
Eugene Field was a journalist and poet based in Chicago, remembered primarily for his children's poems like "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod." However, he also penned deeply personal lyric poetry. This particular poem came out in the late 19th century, a time when sentimental poetry about death and reunion resonated strongly in American culture. This popularity arose partly due to high death rates, particularly among the young, leading readers to seek poetry that provided solace. Field had a strong background in classical literature and often included Latin references in his writing. The "great Venusian" refers to Horace, who was born in Venusia in southern Italy, while the Cinna of ancient Rome appears in various classical works. By using that name and tapping into that literary tradition, Field lends a timeless dignity to his own personal sorrow. The poem blends elements of classical elegy with Victorian consolation verse.
FAQ
This refers to **Horace** (Quintus Horatius Flaccus), the Roman lyric poet from Venusia, born around 65 BCE. Field suggests that even in ancient Rome, a poet experienced love and loss with someone named Cinna, linking his own sorrow to a tradition that goes back two thousand years.
Field never explicitly names Cinna, and scholars haven't linked the name to any specific individual in his life. Cinna might be a real, cherished figure made anonymous through a classical pseudonym—a typical approach in love poetry since Roman times—or it could be entirely fictional. Regardless, the emotion feels authentic.
Massic (or Massicum) was a well-respected wine from the Campania region of ancient Italy, often lauded by Horace. Field uses it to illustrate the deep red blush on Cinna's cheeks, and this classical reference subtly reinforces the Horatian context of the entire poem.
The shift is intentional and emotionally sincere. The third stanza expresses real uncertainty — the speaker doesn't *know* where Cinna is or if she can see him. However, by the final stanza, grief transforms into faith: "Mine is the lot to feel that we / Shall elsewhere love again." This isn't a logical argument; it's a statement the heart makes out of necessity.
Each stanza uses an **ABABCDCD** alternating rhyme scheme, with lines that shift between about four and three stresses, resembling a ballad-like meter known as common meter or hymn meter. This structure lends the poem a consistent, song-like feel that complements its mournful tone.
It means Cinna has died. Field uses classical language — describing the gods taking someone away — to soften the harshness of death and imply that this loss was not a random event, but rather something fated, offering a slight comfort inherent in the wording.
The language—"beloved eyes," holding hands, the blush, the declaration of love—clearly indicates romantic feelings. However, Field's poetry frequently mixes romantic and familial love, and the phrase "in all my boyhood skies" implies that Cinna was present in his life from an early age. Some readers interpret this as referencing a childhood sweetheart or a person who embodied both friendship and romantic affection.
Classical elegy expresses sorrow for a loss and typically transitions toward some form of comfort. Field adheres to this pattern closely: the first two stanzas focus on grief and memory, the third explores cosmic uncertainty, and the fourth offers resolution through faith. What sets it apart is that the consolation feels personal and almost defiant — instead of saying "she is at peace," it asserts "we *will* love again."