Sunday, September 1, 2013

On Autumn

Norfolk, England; August 28, 2013

Happy Sunday, dear readers, and happy September!  After a wonderful two weeks away, I'm ready to jump back into the swing of things.  My editorial calendar has been finalized and my lovely new sponsors have pride of place on my sidebar - I did miss blogging while I was in England (though I'm glad to have been entirely present in the moment with Jon and our families) so from tomorrow we'll be onwards and upwards!

But let's start the new month gently, shall we?  The heat of summer is still in the air and there will be plenty of time to revisit the best of August in the coming weeks.  For now, let's pause and consider Keats.

To Autumn

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drows'd with the fume of poppies,while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,-
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

28 comments:

  1. Thank you for bringing me back to Keats. We are def enjoying the last moments of summer before Autumn begins in 21 days. I only know that because I mentioned it today too. ;) x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Autumn! I can't wait for this season!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I refuse to accept all of this talk of Autumn ;-)


    (By the way, welcome back Mrs!)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Welcome back! Too soon for Autumm...Thanks for this lovely poem, though. I'd have loved a post about your wedding! Sorry! I'm dying to get more details!
    ¡Bienvenida a casa!
    Saludos desde España,
    María

    ReplyDelete
  5. I want Autumn, Fall, cooler weather, and the lot! I miss cosiness, not don't-you-dare-touch-me-I'm-a-sauna-ness.
    But hey, September! Although Keats' line "full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn" makes me remember the annual crying of the ewes... not my favorite week of living on Yorkshire farms. :(


    Man, I'm a downer. HAPPY SEPTEMBER!

    ReplyDelete
  6. In northern Sweden the mist has settled in and we were woken with thunderous rain last night, now I am just trying to decide if it is to early to bring out the pumpkin decorations!

    ReplyDelete
  7. the whole blogsphere has exploded with autumn posts this weekend - tis the season! we're in good company :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. it's one of my faves - until I reach my saturation point with all the Pumpkin Spice Latte mania, and then I can't wait for the red cups :P

    ReplyDelete
  9. haha okay well officially we have another three weeks of summer - better?

    ReplyDelete
  10. haha I'm sorry! I fell sway to all the WOO LEAVES craziness :) and don't worry, there will be LOTS of wedding posts over the next few weeks!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I was a little uncomfortable when I saw autumnal decorations at Michael's last month... but it's now September so full steam ahead!

    ReplyDelete
  12. TO EVERYTHING TURN TURN TURN THERE IS A SEASON TURN TURN TURN AND TO EVERYTHING A PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN.


    - The Byrds feat. The Bible

    ReplyDelete
  13. I do like The Byrds. That's true.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It's my fave time of year... but I agree with you, at a point, I'm just like, ok can it be Christmas now!?!? :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. and by the way, I love that the time of year is reflected in our thoughts by which drinks/cups Starbux is using!

    ReplyDelete
  16. It might sound ridiculous, but I am completely homesick for fall. It's my favorite season. So go ahead and taunt me with your leaves and fall scarves and boots and misty mornings and hot cider. I will get my revenge when it snows and I'm going to the beach :D


    BTW, welcome back, Mrs.! So excited to hear about your wedding!

    ReplyDelete
  17. hi there Mrs.! I man I love Keats. And Autumn!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I do love some Keats. Also because I failed to comment last week: Congratulations on your wedding, the feeling of being enveloped in love is just wonderful and belated Happy Birthday, Hawkmoor really is a wonderful place to go.

    ReplyDelete
  19. not ridiculous at all! that's why I chose a college somewhere (NYC) that had four defined seasons - I couldn't live without a single one of them! but I'm already jealous of your Hawaii Instagrams :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. oh MAN I love it when people call me that :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. haha I'm not keeping count, don't worry - I will accept congratulations for at LEAST the next year :P thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Yay! So so glad you're back! Let the wedding and honeymoon recaps commence :) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hawaii rocks, no lie. Fall is really the only season I hate living without, but we won't be totally without it - we'll be in Denver for Thanksgiving so we'll be able to dig out some cold weather fashion :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Such a gorgeous poem! I can't wait for fall!!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. You posted Keats... reason number 234897 why I love your blog. x.

    ReplyDelete
  26. if you have some free time, feel free to list every single one of the other 234896 :P

    ReplyDelete
  27. it's not QUITE here yet in DC, but I'm feeling it anyway!

    ReplyDelete

I love reading your thoughts and suggestions! Please do leave a comment so we can get to know each other better.