O suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather;
When loud the bumblebee makes haste,
Belated, thriftless vagrant,
And goldenrod is dying fast,
And lanes with grapes are fragrant;
When gentians roll their fingers tight
To save them for the morning,
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs
Without a sound of warning;
When on the ground red apples lie
In piles like jewels shining,
And redder still on old stone walls
Are leaves of woodbine twining;
When all the lovely wayside things
Their white-winged seeds are sowing,
And in the fields still green and fair,
Late aftermaths are growing;
When springs run low, and on the brooks,
In idle golden freighting,
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush
Of woods, for winter waiting;
When comrades seek sweet country haunts,
By twos and twos together,
And count like misers, hour by hour,
October's bright blue weather.
O sun and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year
October's bright blue weather.
We were required to learn and then recite this poem back in elementary school-that is some 70 years ago and i still think of it every year when October comes around and the air is so crisp and exhilerating.
Helen's poem makes me wish I could take a walk with her to embrace these sights, as a second choice a walk with William Wordsworth would do. Something is definitely missing in modern city sidewalks.
Poetic Form: Quatrain (the poem consists of eight stanzas) . Time Period: 19th century. Helen Hunt Jackson's exquisite use of imagery paints a radiant landscape, altering our perception of October and fall as a wod, and leaves of woodbine twining on old stone walls. It's a celebration of the natura
TWO: Nature: The poem immerses us in the sensory details of the season, from bumblebees to chestnuts. Speaker: An admirer of October and fall weather. Emotions Evoked: Confidence, enjoyment, and gratitude. October brings.
ONE: Beauty: The poem revels in the beauty of October, emphasizing its superiority over other months. Celebration: The speaker celebrates the vibrant colors and natural wonders of fall.
I enjoy all of Helen Hunt Jackson’s poetry. My favorite is September
Loved this poem always. A nun recited it to us in grade school and it has stayed with me all through the years! It never disappoints!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Like Lorna, I learned this poem in the 4th or fifth grade. It has annually enriched my life I am now 82.
82 and learned poem in grand school. Also 'A haze on the far horizon, an infinite tender sky, the bright red leaves of autumn and wild geese flying by. By all these lovely tokens, September days are here, with autumns best of weather and summers best of cheer.'
It was my mother's favorite poem.