The Poetry of Autumn
Autumn is over the long leaves that love us,
And over the mice in the barley sheaves;
Yellow the leaves of the rowan above us,
And yellow the wet wild-strawberry leaves.
The hour of the waning of love has beset us,
And weary and worn are our sad souls now;
Let us part, ere the season of passion forget us,
With a kiss and a tear on thy drooping brow.
-”The Falling of the Leaves” by William B. Yeats
Although the calendar marks September 22 as the first day of autumn, like clockwork, every year the weather cools at the outset of October, inviting that delicious crisp nip in the air, which serves as both a scent and a tactile feeling, a signal that the world is undergoing a new phase.
I love the transition of summer to fall. Leaves begin to stray and nature’s backdrop transforms into a kaleidoscopic mélange of pumpkin oranges, forest greens, cornfield yellows, and earthy browns. Breezes waft about and sunlight gains a superlative power at sunrise and sunset, illuminating the world in hyperkinetic color. Cooler days are washed by the beauty of serene melancholy, quiet but never sullen, like a single browning leaf falling from a branch.
Painting: Claude Monet. Weeping Willow. 1919. Oil on canvas. Musée Marmottan, Paris, France. From Olga’s Gallery at abcgallery.com
Hi D. Happy Birthday yesterday!
I love Fall. The crispness in the air…everything somehow seems cleaner.
I also love this painting you chose by Monet.
xoxo
Comment by Parisjasmal — October 18, 2005 @ 6:18 am
Beautiful poem by Yeats, darling.
I love autumn’s melancholic beauty, too.
Hugs!
Comment by mreenymo — October 18, 2005 @ 8:38 am
What a beautiful image choice. Unfortunately, a transistion into fall in OR means grey skies, grey light, and lots of incoming rain. Sigh. We do get some pretty fall colors, but only slowly, and all the foliage quickly looks waterlogged. Reading this post makes me realize how much I miss the crisp autumns that happen outside the PacNW.
Comment by Katie — October 19, 2005 @ 2:01 pm
Thank you, dear J. Autumn is simply the best season hands down. You’re right–everything seems cleaner and I adore that lingering, melancholic rustle in the air.
Comment by alabasterbrow — October 21, 2005 @ 4:03 pm
Dear R, I have been reading a lot of Yeats lately and I came upon this poem. It is just too perfect.
Comment by alabasterbrow — October 21, 2005 @ 4:04 pm
Dear K, well, come on down to Cali. I like greyness, too, however. Reminds me of Europe, particularly Paris and London. Still, you must experience a crisp autumn day. It’s the most serene and beautiful blessing of a day. Consider that an invite.
Comment by alabasterbrow — October 21, 2005 @ 4:10 pm
mieaurjaf
sgelkose
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