A Seasonal Excerpt from Keats

From To Autumn By John Keats, 1795-1821 Keats' life was short, but he left us with words that live on to this day. This is one of my favorites, capturing so well the spirit of the season now upon us. I look forward to Fall every year; I tire of summer about mid-July and yearn for cooler days, longer nights and the surety that the time of rest and restoration is coming. Perhaps that is a minority view, but for me fall and winter signal a time to review, regroup and restore energy for the coming year. Fall is also the season of bounty, when cellars and shelves are full, the gardens are quiet and firelight warms our rooms. Keats' poem captures the essence of the season; you can read the whole poem and learn more about Keats and his writings by clicking on the poem title, above. 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.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.