Rita Dove (Leaving Cert English): Revision Notes

Summit Beach, 1921

Overview of the poem

Rita Dove's "Summit Beach, 1921" captures a vibrant evening at a Black beach in 1921, filled with music, dancing, and joyful celebration. However, the poem focuses on one young woman who chooses to sit apart from the festivities. She remains by the fire, cold and choosing not to dance, bearing a scar on her knee that serves as a reminder of past injury and healing.

The woman reflects on her father's wisdom about being patient and valuing herself, ultimately deciding to wait for the right romantic partner rather than rushing into anything. Despite her current restraint, the poem ends on a hopeful note as she imagines future love and recalls a childhood memory of fearless leaping with "invisible wings."

Speaker and perspective

The poem employs a third-person narrator who tells us about "she" - the young woman at the beach. This narrative voice allows readers to observe both the external beach scene and gain insight into the woman's internal thoughts and memories. We become the audience, watching the celebration while entering her private reflections about love, family guidance, and personal worth.

How the poem develops

The poem moves through several distinct stages that trace the woman's experience and mindset:

The celebration begins with energetic imagery as "The Negro beach jumped" to the rhythm of oil drums and mandolin music. The scene pulses with life as people dance with "the finest brown shoulders" visible in the firelight.

Her choice to withdraw becomes apparent as she sits by the fire, deliberately choosing not to participate. The narrator notes that "she did not care to dance," and we observe her scar "winking" in the chill - a physical reminder of past trauma that may influence her current restraint.

Paternal guidance emerges through remembered advice: "Papa had said don't be so fast, / you're all you've got." This wisdom emphasises self-preservation and patience. She heeds this counsel, refusing to "cut the wing" (dance), though she allows boys to bring her sassafras tea, showing she's not completely antisocial.

Healing and resilience are revealed through references to her recovery from injury. Her knee once itched "in the cast," and she "grew mean from bravery" - suggesting she became tougher through enduring pain. Most importantly, she recognises her own value: "She could wait, she was gold."

Hope and imagination conclude the poem as she envisions her future love. She imagines the right man's smile as music running up her leg and a breeze "like water." The poem ends with a powerful childhood memory of stepping off a shed roof "into blue" with a parasol and "invisible wings" - an image of freedom, trust, and boundless possibility.

Poetic techniques and imagery

Dove employs various literary devices to bring this scene to life and convey the woman's emotional journey.

Sound and rhythm permeate the poem through references to the "oil drum tattoo" and mandolin music that make the beach "vibrate with music." These auditory images create the lively atmosphere of the celebration.

Colour and warmth imagery appears in descriptions of "finest brown shoulders," the fire, and sweaters being thrown off. These images convey both the physical warmth of the gathering and the pride and vitality of the community.

Personification brings the woman's scar to life, describing it as "winking" in the chill. This technique draws attention to her past injury while suggesting it has become part of her story rather than defining her entirely.

Metaphor establishes the woman's self-worth through the powerful declaration "She was gold." This comparison presents her as precious and valuable, justifying her patience in waiting for the right relationship.

Similes create beautiful comparisons that show how she imagines love. She pictures "music skittering up her calf / like a chuckle" and a "breeze in her ears like water," presenting love as light, playful, and naturally flowing.

Memory imagery provides the poem's most striking symbol in the childhood scene of stepping off a roof "into blue" with "invisible wings." This fearless leap becomes a symbol of faith, possibility, and inner freedom that sustains her even during periods of waiting.

Major themes

Self-respect and patience form the poem's central theme. The young woman demonstrates remarkable self-control by choosing to wait for genuine love rather than participating in the immediate excitement around her. Her father's advice reinforces the importance of valuing oneself highly.

Healing and courage emerge through the imagery of her physical recovery and emotional growth. The scar and references to the cast show she has endured real pain, but she "grew mean from bravery" - becoming stronger through her trials rather than being diminished by them.

Community and joy are celebrated through the vibrant beach scene that captures Black cultural expression and happiness in 1921. The music, dancing, and collective celebration provide important historical and cultural context.

Freedom and imagination appear most powerfully in the childhood memory of leaping with "invisible wings." This image suggests that even when external circumstances require patience and restraint, inner freedom and hope remain accessible through memory and imagination.

Essential quotations

Several key quotes capture the poem's most important moments and themes:

• "The Negro beach jumped" - Establishes the lively, celebratory atmosphere
• "she did not care to dance" - Shows her deliberate choice to remain apart
• "the scar on her knee winking" - Reveals her past injury through personification
• "Papa had said don't be so fast, / you're all you've got" - Presents the father's crucial guidance about self-respect
• "She could wait, she was gold" - Expresses her self-worth and justifies her patience
• "music skittering up her calf / like a chuckle" - Shows how she imagines future love
• "stepped off / the tin roof into blue, / with her parasol and invisible wings" - Provides the hopeful, liberating final image

Structure and form

The poem is written in free verse with short, accessible lines that create a conversational yet lyrical tone. The structure mirrors the woman's journey from external observation to internal reflexion.

The poem progresses from the public scene of music and dancers to her private choice of sitting and remembering, finally reaching an imaginative lift through the childhood memory of wings. This movement from communal celebration to individual contemplation to transcendent hope creates a satisfying emotional arc.

The final image opens upward into sky and blue, providing a soft, uplifting conclusion that balances the earlier restraint with ultimate optimism.

Exam preparation tips

When studying this poem for exams, focus on these key elements:

Practice explaining how specific quotations support broader themes, and be prepared to discuss how Dove uses imagery and memory to create meaning. Focus on connecting technique to effect - don't just identify literary devices, explain how they contribute to the poem's overall impact.