"October" by West Virginia poet, Grace Yoke White, from her 1953 book "Unhoarded Gold".
What does it matter if my house is not swept,
Or my beds placed to air in a hygenic way?
For in through my window a birdcall crept,
And a red-throated songster hopped near to say:
"Come, share the joy of the fine autumn weather;
The goldenrod gleams near bypaths and roadways;
While tall, flaming asters, like purple heather,
Keep time as they nod at the birds through the day."
Come stand 'neath the trees, let the leaves drift around you--
The red and the brown, the crimson and gold;
Come, roam out of doors, in the sun and the dew;
Come, forget that time passes, that days will grow cold.
Come out in the sun and the soft autumn moon;
Let's enjoy the bright days and nights as they pass;
Come, gather the beauties that fade all too soon;
Come out in the open while the season lasts.
I was in your pretty state in September . . . wish I could be there again come October. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteJust as I remember Matthew...thank you so much for putting that up. I wish Australia had the changing of the seasons like this.
ReplyDeleteI'm a flatlander who went to UT-Knoxville. I learned posthaste to stay the hell out of the Smokies in the fall. It's good to know there are places one can enjoy the mountian colors without being trampled to death by tourists and rubberneckers.
ReplyDeleteI love the poem! It describes very well October in WV.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem! And great picture! Oh, how I adore getting to the mountains in the fall! Wish I could be there now! Thanks for commenting on my blog on the Baltimore post! How neat that you have had family live there! Loved the groundhog story! :-) I've never had groundhog--may have to try it! (I am from AL! Seems I shame I missed out on that culinary delight--have had squirrel, though).
ReplyDelete