No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one Autumnal face. (John Donne 1572-1631)

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Within the orchard’s many shadows,
Flitting softly round our feet,
While burning hot, the sunlight shot
Between them in the summer heat;
We went, at times, by dock-leaves, falling
Limp, beside the mossy walling.

The way from garden into orchard
Through an arched gateway led,
Where rose a dovecote up above
The grey old arch, above the head,
By flower-beds of the oldest fashion,
Sweet with rose and red carnation.

There spreading trees of mossy oldness,
This and that way leaning lay;
And others, young and upright, sprung
For year-stunned old ones cast away;
Within a thorny hedge that girded
Ground, and tree bough, many birded.

There shone the boughs, in May’s gay sunshine,
Out in blooth as white’s a sheet;
Or else their flowers fell in showers
Softly down about their feet;
Or else they nodded, many-appled,
Green, or lastly ruddy-dappled.

And then the time of apple-taking
Came, and apples pattered down
Below the trees, in twos and threes,
Full thick; and yellow, red and brown,
To folks that filled, from baskets by them,
Bags as full as they could tie them.
(William Barnes 1801-1886)

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Thanks to Elsa Laura of Mexico for this video. The music is from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi 1678-1741

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My new blog A TOUCH OF CULTURE is now online and this week is showing five great paintings by the American artist William Merritt Chase 1849-1916.

http://atouchofculture.blogspot.com

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