 | The poems of Celia Thaxter |  |
AUTUMN
Round and round the garden rushed a sudden blast,
Crying, “Autumn! Autumn!” shuddering as it passed.
Dry poppy-head and larkspur-spike shrill whistled in the wind,
Together whispering, “Autumn! and Winter is behind!”
Crying, “Autumn! Autumn!” shuddering as it passed.
Dry poppy-head and larkspur-spike shrill whistled in the wind,
Together whispering, “Autumn! and Winter is behind!”
Tossed the sumach pennons, green and gold and red;
Flapped the awning scallops loudly overhead;
Swung the empty hammocks lightly to and fro;
While the crickets simmered, chirruping below.
Flapped the awning scallops loudly overhead;
Swung the empty hammocks lightly to and fro;
While the crickets simmered, chirruping below.
Keen the star of evening hung glittering in the sky,
Red the west was burning, deepening silently;
Summer constellations slow wheeling out of sight,
Great Orion shining clear upon the face of night.
Red the west was burning, deepening silently;
Summer constellations slow wheeling out of sight,
Great Orion shining clear upon the face of night.
Sadly sang the ocean, sighing in the dark;
Far away the lighthouse lit a sudden spark;
Black against the sunset sails were gliding past;
Earth and sea and sky were saying, “Autumn 's here at last!”
Far away the lighthouse lit a sudden spark;
159
Earth and sea and sky were saying, “Autumn 's here at last!”
Soon will snow be flying, soon will tempests roar,
Soon the freezing north will lash us bitter as before;
I heard the waters whisper, I heard the winds complain,
But sweet, reluctant Summer I knew would come again.
Soon the freezing north will lash us bitter as before;
I heard the waters whisper, I heard the winds complain,
But sweet, reluctant Summer I knew would come again.
| The poems of Celia Thaxter | |