Autumn - An 1855 Poem
By Longfellow.
- O, with what glory comes and goes this year!
- The buds of Spring those beautiful harbingers
- Of sunny skies and cloudless times enjoy
- Life's newness, and earth's garmiture spread out!
- And when the silver habit of the clouds
- Comes down upon the Autumn sun,
- And with a sober gladness the old year
- Takes up his bright inheritance of golden fruit,
- A pomp and pageant fill the splendid scene.
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- There is a beautiful spirit breathing now
- Its mellow richness on the clustered trees,
- And from a beaker full of richest dyes,
- Pouring new glory on the autumn woods,
- And dipping in warm light the pillar'd clouds.
- Morn, on the mountain, like a summer bird,
- Lifts up her purple wing; and in the vales
- The gentle wind a sweet and passionate wooer,
- Kisses the blushing leaf and stirs up life
- Within the autumn woods of ash deep crimsoned,
- And silver-beech, and maple yellow-leaved,
- Where Autumn, like a faint old man, sits down
- By the way-side a-weary. Through the trees
- The golden robin moves; the purple finch,
- That on wild cherry and red cedar feeds
- A winter bird comes with its plaintive whistle,
- And peeks by the witch hazel; whilst aloud
- From cottage roofs the warbling blue bird sings;
- And merrily, with oft-repeated stroke
- Sounds from the threshing floor the busy flail.
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- O, what a glory doth this world put on
- For him who, with fervent heart, goes forth
- Under the bright and glorious sky, and looks
- On duties well performed and days well spent!
- For him the wind, ay, and the yellow leaves,
- Shall have a voice and give him eloquent teachings.
- He shall so hear the solemn hymn that Death
- Has lifted up for all, that he shall go
- To his last resting place without a tear!
November 3, 1855. Washington D.C. Evening Star 6(885): 4.