 | A sheaf of verse bound for the fair |  |
14
THE INDIAN SUMMER.
Clasped with a misty zone,
Autumn her harvest robe serenely weaves;
Now burns the sumach's cone,
And gleams the amber maize between the sheaves.
Autumn her harvest robe serenely weaves;
Now burns the sumach's cone,
And gleams the amber maize between the sheaves.
In orchards gnarled by gales,
How through the umbrage crimson apples glow,
And clear the plaintive quails
Pipe the rude urchins from their nests below!
How through the umbrage crimson apples glow,
And clear the plaintive quails
Pipe the rude urchins from their nests below!
The creeper wide unfurls
Its scarlet banners as the zephyrs pass;
Snowberries strew their pearls,
And starry asters fleck the tangled grass.
Its scarlet banners as the zephyrs pass;
Snowberries strew their pearls,
And starry asters fleck the tangled grass.
The dogwoods purple bear,
The hickories topaz in the sunset fire,
And oaks brown mantles wear,
While maples light between a sylvan pyre.
The hickories topaz in the sunset fire,
And oaks brown mantles wear,
While maples light between a sylvan pyre.
Amid the swampy mould,
And on the mountain-ash what rubies shine;
And, like a vase of gold,
The yellow gourd hangs on the withered vine.
And on the mountain-ash what rubies shine;
And, like a vase of gold,
The yellow gourd hangs on the withered vine.
Blithely cicadas spring
Along our path, and loud the marsh frogs croak,
And on insatiate wing
The jetty crows poise o'er the stubble-smoke.
Along our path, and loud the marsh frogs croak,
And on insatiate wing
The jetty crows poise o'er the stubble-smoke.
15
Immortelles incense breathe
From the low meadows; in the hush of noon
The chestnut's prickly sheath
Clinks down upon the turf its glossy boon.
From the low meadows; in the hush of noon
The chestnut's prickly sheath
Clinks down upon the turf its glossy boon.
In flickering beams how glint
The amethystine grape and emerald pine,
And ocean's cold, gray tint
Transmuted now to azure crystalline!
The amethystine grape and emerald pine,
And ocean's cold, gray tint
Transmuted now to azure crystalline!
Lilies their speckled urns,
And balmy firs their drooping needles, lift;
Their sculptured edge the ferns;
While slowly by the thistle-feathers drift.
And balmy firs their drooping needles, lift;
Their sculptured edge the ferns;
While slowly by the thistle-feathers drift.
The columbines scarce nod
Upon their slender stems and rocky ledge,
Nor waves the golden rod,
Nor hums the dragon-fly around the sedge.
Upon their slender stems and rocky ledge,
Nor waves the golden rod,
Nor hums the dragon-fly around the sedge.
A mellow calmness lies,
As if fruition solemnized the air,
On woodland, field, and skies—
The smile of Nature at her answered prayer.
As if fruition solemnized the air,
On woodland, field, and skies—
The smile of Nature at her answered prayer.
| A sheaf of verse bound for the fair | |