But Not to Me — Summary

In the opening lines, the speaker describes a still, sweet April night, with blossoms on every tree and peace settling gently over the world. But she immediately sets herself apart: that peace may come to the trees and to everyone else, but not to her. The second stanza reveals why. The peace she longs for rests with a particular person—“his breast”—a place she believes she will never be. Love comes to everyone else that night, but again, not to her. The repeated line “But not to me” turns the lovely spring scene into a backdrop for private sorrow. The mood is quiet and wistful rather than angry, as though she has grown used to standing outside the beauty and comfort that seem so available to others.