Here’s a view of the beginnings of autumn over the Hudson Valley last year, courtesy of our daughter. Back home, we’re enjoying the last of the sunshine; I’ve packed the camping gear away under the stairs, our Cat statue and ‘Papal Bull’ are overwintering indoors. We’re almost into the Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. So here are some ‘autumn leaves’ for you to enjoy: snippets from four autumn – themed poems that bring me joy.
In the fire and frailty
of this gathering season
let us rake up
our accumulated months…
– from Stewart Henderson’s Still, Facing Autumn, Plover Books 2001
Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness
Close-bosom friend of the maturing sun…
– from John Keat’s To Autumn
Awaken In Me a Sense of Joy
O extravagant God,
in this ripening, red-tinged autumn,
waken in me a sense of joy
in just being alive…
– from Ted Loder’s Guerrillas of Grace
Summer ends now; now, barbarous in beauty, the stooks arise
Around; up above, what wind-walks!
what lovely behaviour
of silk-sack clouds! has wilder, wilful-wavier
Meal-drift moulded ever and melted across skies…
– from Gerard Manley Hopkin’s Hurrahing in Harvest
Do you have any favourite autumn/fall poems, pieces of music or songs? I’d love to hear them.
I like George Winston’s ‘Autumn’ – it’s reflective background for a nice hot cuppa tea. Our fall comes a bit later (temps are still in the 80s & 90s here in Virginia) but I did notice a yellow leaf on our fig tree today, so it’s coming. There are fav hymns that also remind me of fall – ‘We Gather Together’, ‘Come Ye Thankful People Come’, ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’…Autumn blessings! ????????????????
That’s a new one on me, thanks, must look it up. Those who know say that our autumn will probably be quite early here in the U.K. in account of the heatwave we had this summer. We’ll see. I love those harvest hymns. ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter’ is one of my favourites. There is a modern version: ‘We Plough the Fields with Tractors’ but I prefer the original! Autumn ???? blessings to you too.
Thanks for the introduction to George Winston’s music. Another one to add to my list. Thinking about autumnal music, I’ve remembered another classic- ‘Fields of Gold.’ The Eva Cassidy cover is my favourite. ????
Yes, Fields of Gold is beautiful – although I didn’t know her it makes me think of Miss Mollie’s thread of Ship of Fools (Sorry if that means nothing to you – I have a feeling you’re a Shippie, but maybe not…)
Now…why did you think I linked to it in the first place?! 🙂
I also love Eva Cassidy’s Fields of Gold!! ????☀️????????☀️????
It’s a beautiful version of the song. I think she also covered ‘Autumn ???? Leaves.’