In Praise of Autumn
Hail to October, bright and merry,
Crisp
the air and red the berry.
From east the early sunbeams rise
Touching
with gold the morning skies
’Til here and there comes breaking
through
A brilliant patch of azure blue,
’Gainst which the tops of
Maple trees
Glow crimson with their sculptured leaves.
While valiant
Beech of russet shade
Makes dazzling rich the Autumn glade.
Now in the
distance grey I see
Bonfires and happy children’s glee.
November
flaring poppies red
And solemn marches for the dead.
December next with
Christmas time
Of carollers and bells a-chime
For grateful joy that
Christ was born
Upon this holy sacred morn;
So hail to Autumn bright and
merry
With silver frost and scarlet berry.
Dorothea Keable