Autumn Song + 

Autumn clouds are flying, flying + 

O’er the waste of blue; + 

Summer flowers are dying, dying, + 

Late so lovely new. + 

Labouring wains are slowly rolling + 

Home with winter grain; + 

Holy bells are slowly tolling + 

Over buried men. + 

Goldener light sets noon a sleeping + 

Like an afternoon; + 

Colder airs come stealing, creeping + 

From the misty moon; + 

And the leaves, of old age dying, + 

Earthy hues put on; + 

Out on every lone wind sighing + 

That their day is gone. + 

Autumn’s sun is sinking, sinking + 

Down to winter low; + 

And our hearts are thinking, thinking + 

Of the sleet and snow; + 

For our sun is slowly sliding + 

Down the hill of might; + 

And no moon is softly gliding + 

Up the slope of night. + 

See the bare fields’ pillaged prizes + 

Heaped in golden glooms! + 

See, the earth’s outworn sunrises + 

Dream in cloudy tombs! + 

Darkling flowers but wait the blowing + 

Of a quickening wind; + 

And the man, through Death’s door going, + 

Leaves old Death behind. + 

Mourn not, then, clear tones that alter; + 

Let the gold turn gray; + 

Feet, though feeble, still may falter + 

Toward the better day! + 

Brother, let not weak faith linger + 

O’er a withered thing; + 

Mark how Autumn’s prophet finger + 

Burns to hues of Spring. + 