October in New England is perhaps the most beautiful--certainly the
most magnificent month in the year. The peculiar brilliancy of the
skies and purity of the atmosphere,--the rich and variegated colors of
the forest trees, and the deep, bright dyes of the flowers, are
unequalled by any thing in the other seasons of the year; but the ruin
wrought among the flowers by one night of those severe frosts which
occur at the latter end of the month, after a day of cloudless and
intense sunshine, can scarcely be imagined by one not familiar with
the scene.
Thou'rt here again, October, with that queenly look of thine--
All gorgeous thine apparel and all golden thy sunshine--
So brilliant and so beautiful--'tis like a fairy show--
The earth in such a splendid garb, the heav'ns in such a glow.
'Tis not the loveliness of Spring--the roses and the birds,
Nor Summer's soft luxuriance and her lightsome laughing words;
Yet not the fresh Spring's loveliness, nor Summer's mellow glee
Come o'er my spirit like the charm that's spread abroad by thee.
The gaily-mottled woods that shine--all crimson, drab, and gold,
With fascination strong the mind in pensive musings hold,
And the rays of glorious sunshine there in saddening lustre fall--
'Tis the funeral pageant of a king with his gold and crimson pall.
Thou'rt like the Indian matron, who adorns her baby fair,
E'er she gives it to the Ganges' flood, all bright, to perish there;
Thou callest out the trusting buds with the lustre of thy sky,
And clothest them in hues of Heaven all gloriously--to die.
Thou'rt like the tyrant lover, wooing soft his gentle bride--
Anon the fit of passion comes--and her smitten heart hath died;
The tyrant's smile may come again, and thy cheering noonday skies,
But smitten hearts and flowers are woo'd, in vain, again to rise.
* * * * *
Thy reign was short, thou Beautiful, but they were despot's hours--
The gold leaves met the forest ground, and fallen are the flowers;
Ah, 'tis the bitterness of earth, that fairest, goodliest show,
Comes to the heart deceitfully, and leaves the deeper wo.