Merry Autumn

5Such principles are most absurd,—

6 I care not who first taught 'em;

7There's nothing known to beast or bird

8 To make a solemn autumn.

9In solemn times, when grief holds sway

10 With countenance distressing,

11You'll note the more of black and gray

12 Will then be used in dressing.

13Now purple tints are all around;

14 The sky is blue and mellow;

15And e'en the grasses turn the ground

16 From modest green to yellow.

17The seed burs all with laughter crack

18 On featherweed and jimson;

19And leaves that should be dressed in black

20 Are all decked out in crimson.

21A butterfly goes winging by;

22 A singing bird comes after;

23And Nature, all from earth to sky,

24 Is bubbling o'er with laughter.

25The ripples wimple on the rills,

26 Like sparkling little lasses;

27The sunlight runs along the hills,

28 And laughs among the grasses.

29The earth is just so full of fun

30 It really can't contain it;

31And streams of mirth so freely run

32 The heavens seem to rain it.

33Don't talk to me of solemn days

34 In autumn's time of splendor,

35Because the sun shows fewer rays,

36 And these grow slant and slender.

37Why, it's the climax of the year,—

38 The highest time of living!—

39Till naturally its bursting cheer

40 Just melts into thanksgiving.