Poems of Madison Cawein Vol. 3 — Fall Fancies

FALL FANCIES

Far off a wind blew, and I heard Wild echoes of the woods reply-- The herald of some royal word, With bannered trumpet, blown on high, Meseemed, then passed me by: Who summoned marvels there to meet, In pomp, upon a cloth of gold;

Where berries of the bitter-sweet, That, splitting, showed the coals they hold, Sowed garnets through the wold: Where, under tents of maples, seeds Of smooth carnelian, oval red, The spice-bush spangled: where, like beads, The dogwood’s rounded rubies--fed With fire--blazed and bled.

And there I saw amid the rout Of months, in richness cavalier, A minnesinger--lips apout;

A gypsy face; straight as a spear;

A rose stuck in his ear: Eyes, sparkling like old German wine, All mirth and moonlight; naught to spare Of slender beard, that lent a line Unto his lip; October there, With chestnut curling hair.

His blue baretta swept its plume White through the leaves; his purple hose, Puffed at the thighs, made gleam of gloom;

His tawny doublet, slashed with rose, And laced with crimson bows, Outshone the wahoo’s scarlet pride, The haw, in rich vermilion dressed: A dagger dangling at his side, A slim lute, banded to his breast, Whereon his hands did rest, I saw him come....

And, lo, to hear The lilt of his approaching lute, No wonder that the regnant Year Bent down her beauty, blushing mute, Her heart beneath his foot.