Autumn Maples / Archibald Lampman

Autumn Maples

The thoughts of all the maples who shall name,
    When the sad landscape turns to cold and grey?
    Yet some for very ruth and sheer dismay,
Hearing the northwind pipe the winter's name,
Have fired the hills with beaconing clouds of flame;
    And some with softer woe that day by day,
    So sweet and brief, should go the westward way,
Have yearned upon the sunset with such shame,
    That all their cheeks have turned to tremulous rose;
        Others for wrath have turned a rusty red,
        And some that knew not either grief or dread,
    Ere the old year should find its iron close,
Have gathered down the sun's last smiles acold,
Deep, deep, into their luminous hearts of gold.

~~
Archibald Lampman (1861-1899)
from Among the Millet, and other poems, 1888

[Poem is in the public domain worldwide]

Archibald Lampman biography