I love the way Alice Cary's "Autumn" captures so much of what I've been feeling and thinking of late about the approaching season. Just a few nights ago, I took the dog outside around 8 p.m. and was suddenly struck by the dimness of evening. "Hey," I felt the need to call out to anyone and everyone, "have you noticed how much shorter the days are getting already?" Of course, everyone had noticed. ("Shorter and shorter now the twilight clips the days....")
Yesterday was languidly warm — in the upper 80s! — and humid. I could almost convince myself that the day would stretch out, push itself past nine p.m., but alas ... ("Save when by fits the warmer air deceives....")
This week, each of us, in turn, made mention of the crickets that have moved into the garage.
("The robin.../Has given place to the brown cricket now.")
Linger then, over the loveliness of this poem, and Alice Cary's erstwhile but evergreen observations about the slow fade that is summer bowing out, making room for autumn.
Autumn
by Alice Cary
Shorter and shorter now the twilight clips
The days, as though the sunset gates they crowd,
And Summer from her golden collar slips
And strays through stubble-fields, and moans aloud,
Save when by fits the warmer air deceives,
And, stealing hopeful to some sheltered bower,
She lies on pillows of the yellow leaves,
And tries the old tunes over for an hour.
(Read the whole thing here, at the Poetry Foundation.)
~~~~~
The always lovely and wonderful Linda Baie has the roundup this week at TeacherDance.
11 comments:
We have not been "witched with frost", yet, but the days are clipped as you wrote, Karen. I love the way you did your introduction, and the poem, too. You are one of the few who wrote of autumn coming, and it is here Monday, in all its different ways of beauty. Thanks for this poem!
Thanks, Linda! Yes, I can't believe that autumn's official arrival is Monday. I'm still clinging to our deceptive warmer air. :)
Thanks for the lovely poem (another new to me poet!). I always look forward to fall, it does seem strange that it officially starts on Monday since we've had hot weather all along . . . and yet there is that sadness that comes with thoughts of another year passing so quickly.
"Summer from her golden collar slips
And strays through stubble-fields" -- happy sigh! Beautiful imagery.
I am thrilled about cooler weather!
Autumn is my favorite season. The next few days are going to be very summery here. I'm waiting for the cooler temps! Thank you for sharing a poem that reminded me of the beauty to come!
Jama, Tabatha, and Linda,
Though I will miss having longer days, I *won't* miss the heat, and I always look forward to autumn, too. It's my favorite season. I love the cool weather and the beauty of fall. Although I do find as I get older (or am I just getting crabby-old?) that I can't think of fall without thinking of what follows, and I'm *not* a fan of bitter cold and loads of snow. (Don't ask me why I live in the midwest ... I have no idea.) :D
Even though we don't have fall in the same way you do, I always enjoy experiencing it from a distance! Thanks!
I appreciate the melancholy in this poem. It feels just right for us here where I live. Te darkening days, the cooler weather, just before the real spectacle of autumn when the leaves adorn themselves in their final glory and remind us of the beauty in all the seasons!
Lovely, just lovely.
Such a sad lovey poem and then it lifts at the end as we can wrap ourselves in a storybook… It reminds me a bit of "A Mid Summer Night's Dream," thanks Karen!
Ruth, Cheriee, Mary Lee, and Michelle, thanks for stopping by -- happy to share the sad loveliness, or the lovely sadness with you! :)
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