Friday, October 05, 2012

Poetry Friday: October

October where I live brings some slightly cooler weather, but nothing like the drama of autumn in the north.  Here's Paul Laurence Dunbar on October, who is "whole-hearted, happy, careless, free."  Here's to October living this weekend!

October

OCTOBER is the treasurer of the year,
And all the months pay bounty to her
store;
The fields and orchards still their tribute bear,
And fill her brimming coffers more and more.
But she, with youthful lavishness,
Spends all her wealth in gaudy dress,
And decks herself in garments bold
Of scarlet, purple, red, and gold.
She heedeth not how swift the hours fly,
But smiles and sings her happy life along;
She only sees above a shining sky;
She only hears the breezes' voice in song.
Her garments trail the woodlands through,
And gather pearls of early dew
That sparkle, till the roguish Sun
Creeps up and steals them every one.
But what cares she that jewels should be lost,
When all of Nature's bounteous wealth is
hers?
Though princely fortunes may have been their
cost,
Not one regret her calm demeanor stirs.
Whole-hearted, happy, careless, free,
She lives her life out joyously,
Nor cares when Frost stalks o'er her way
And turns her auburn locks to gray.

Paul Laurence Dunbar


Here's today's Poetry Friday roundup.

4 comments:

Tara @ A Teaching Life said...

But she, with youthful lavishness,
Spends all her wealth in gaudy dress,
And decks herself in garments bold
Of scarlet, purple, red, and gold.

So...THIS is why I must love October so!

Linda B said...

Beautiful, isn't it? The poem & the time. We are having snow already, but that time described is coming by next week! Love it. thanks Ruth!

Mary Lee said...

A PERFECT October poem for this weekend in Ohio. We have high color, changing temps, and rain that will bring down the color and lay it as a carpet at our feet!

Joyce Ray said...

I love these lines:

"Her garments trail the woodlands through,
And gather pearls of early dew
That sparkle, till the roguish Sun
Creeps up and steals them every one."

Thanks, Ruth. A perfect poem for New England right now.15 saimass