Poem Analysis - After Five

An Intimate Moment of Recollection

E.E. Cummings' "After Five" is a deeply personal and evocative poem, drenched in sensuality and the lingering memory of a loved one. The poem unfolds as a quiet, intimate moment of reflection, where the speaker is overwhelmed by the presence of a past love, conjured by the rhythms of nature and the passage of time. The tone is initially one of gentle surprise, shifting into a state of peaceful surrender and profound connection with the earth. The poem celebrates the enduring power of love and memory.

Echoes of Love: Remembrance and Renewal

One of the central themes of "After Five" is the **power of memory** to resurrect past emotions and experiences. The poem opens with the line "after five / times the poem / of thy remembrance," suggesting that the speaker is revisiting a specific memory, a "poem" of their love. This repeated remembrance evokes a powerful resurgence of feeling. The theme of **renewal** is interwoven with remembrance. The image of "unreasoning summer" and "ways cloaked with renewal" suggests that the speaker's feelings are being reignited by the natural world. Finally, **nature and love's connection** The link between the speaker's emotional state and the natural world emphasizes the deep connection between love and the rhythms of life. The language of leaves, east and dawn, and the breathing earth contribute to a sense of wholeness and belonging, intertwined with the speaker's feelings for the absent lover.

Summer's Unreasoning Refrain: Vivid Imagery and Symbolism

Cummings employs vivid imagery to convey the speaker's emotional state. The "unreasoning summer" is a potent symbol of the irrational, uncontrollable nature of love and desire. It suggests that these feelings can arise spontaneously, without logical explanation. The "stars have been / finished in the nobler trees" is a particularly striking image, suggesting that the beauty and wonder of the natural world have been perfected, perhaps by the memory of love. It can also be interpreted as the presence of the speaker's lover in nature, making the trees "nobler". The “sweet earth where thou liest” is also a key symbol, representing the speaker’s wish to be joined to their lover, or to nature itself.

Nature's Language: A Conversation of Leaves

The poem's use of natural imagery extends beyond mere decoration; nature actively participates in the speaker's experience. The "language of leaves repeats / eventual perfection" suggests that nature speaks a language of enduring beauty and fulfillment. This line implies that the speaker is finding solace and meaning in the natural world, which mirrors the perfection they associate with their past love. The line also might ask an open-ended question: How can something be “eventually” perfect?

Finding Solace in the Earth: A Final Insight

"After Five" is a testament to the enduring power of love and memory. Through vivid imagery and a deeply personal tone, Cummings captures a moment of profound connection between the speaker, the natural world, and a cherished past love. The poem leaves the reader with a sense of peace and acceptance, as the speaker finds solace in the earth and the enduring beauty of remembrance. This poem is important because it depicts love not as a fleeting experience, but as a lasting force that can shape our perception of the world around us.