Connecticut Autumn / Hyam Plutzik

Connecticut Autumn

I have seen the pageantry of the leaves falling —
Their sere, brown frames descending brokenly,
Like old men lying down to rest.
I have heard the whisperings of the winds calling —
The young winds — playing with the old men —
Playing with them, as the sun flows west.

And I have seen the pomp of this earth naked —
The brown fields standing cold and resolute,
Like strong men waiting for the end.
Then have come the sudden gusts of winds awaked:
The broken pageantry, the leaves upflailed, the trees
Tremor-stricken, the giant branches rent.

And a shiver runs over the remnants of the brown grass —
And there is cessation . . . .
The processional recurs.

I have seen the pageantry.
I have seen the haggard leaves falling.
One by one falling.

~~
Hyam Plutzik (1911-1962)
from Aspects of Proteus, 1949

[Poem is in the public domain in Canada. Elsewhere, this poem by Hyam Plutzik may be duplicated for educational purposes. Copyright 2016 by Estate of Hyam Plutzik, all rights reserved.]

Hyam Plutzik biography