Autumn Sadness

Air and sky are swathed in gold

Fold on fold,

Light glows through the trees like wine.

Earth, sun-quickened, swoons for bliss

'Neath his kiss,

Breathless in a trance divine.

Nature pauses from her task,

Just to bask

In these lull'd transfigured hours.

The green leaf nor stays nor goes,

But it grows

Royaler than mid-June's flowers.

Such impassioned silence fills

All the hills

Burning with unflickering fire—

Such a blood-red splendor stains

The leaves' veins,

Life seems one fulfilled desire.

While earth, sea, and heavens shine,

Heart of mine,

Say, what art thou waiting for?

Shall the cup ne'er reach the lip,

But still slip

Till the life-long thirst give o'er?

Shall my soul, no frosts may tame,

Catch new flame

From the incandescent air?

In this nuptial joy apart,

Oh my heart,

Whither shall we lonely fare?

Seek some dusky, twilight spot,

Quite forgot

Of the Autumn's Bacchic fire.

Where soft mists and shadows sleep,

There outweep

Barren longing's vain desire.