A Day

By John Greenleaf Whittier

Sonnet
    Talk not of sad November, when a day     Of warm, glad sunshine fills the sky of noon,     And a wind, borrowed from some morn of June,     Stirs the brown grasses and the leafless spray.     On the unfrosted pool the pillared pines     Lay their long shafts of shadow: the small rill,     Singing a pleasant song of summer still,     A line of silver, down the hill-slope shines.     Hushed the bird-voices and the hum of bees,     In the thin grass the crickets pipe no more;     But still the squirrel hoards his winter store,     And drops his nut-shells from the shag-bark trees.     Softly the dark green hemlocks whisper: high     Above, the spires of yellowing larches show,     Where the woodpecker and home-loving crow     And jay and nut-hatch winter’s threat defy.     O gracious beauty, ever new and old!     O sights and sounds of nature, doubly dear     When the low sunshine warns the closing year     Of snow-blown fields and waves of Arctic cold!     Close to my heart I fold each lovely thing     The sweet day yields; and, not disconsolate,     With the calm patience of the woods I wait     For leaf and blossom when God gives us Spring!

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem utilizes the beauty of a late autumn day to explore the complex relationship between transience and enduring hope. The speaker, through a first-person voice, marvels at the warmth and vibrancy of nature despite the encroaching winter. The poem's structure, a single extended stanza, mirrors the speaker's uninterrupted contemplation. Employing a regular iambic tetrameter, the rhythm creates a sense of serene observation. Imagery of light and color sunshine, brown grasses, silver rill, yellowing larches evokes a vibrant, almost nostalgic, atmosphere. However, the poem shifts in tone after the ninth line. The speaker acknowledges the quieter aspects of the season hushed birds, crickets silent and the squirrel's preparations for winter. The volta occurs in the eleventh line, where the speaker directly addresses the beauty of the day and its significance in the face of winter's approach. The poem ends on a note of acceptance and anticipation, finding solace in nature's cyclical rhythms and trusting in the promise of spring. The speaker's ability to find beauty and hope in the midst of autumn's waning light reveals a profound understanding of nature's enduring power.

Understanding the Sonnet

The sonnet is one of the most enduring and celebrated forms of poetry, known for its strict structure and profound themes. With a history spanning centuries, sonnets have been used to explore love, beauty, politics, and mortality, all within the confines of just 14 lines.

Sonnets are characterized by their precise form and rhyme scheme, which vary depending on the type of sonnet. Here’s a closer look:

  • Shakespearean (English) Sonnet: Composed of three quatrains followed by a final couplet, with a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG. This form often builds a complex argument or narrative, culminating in a powerful closing statement.
  • Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet: Divided into an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines), with a typical rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA for the octave, followed by various patterns in the sestet such as CDECDE or CDCDCD. The octave usually presents a problem, with the sestet providing a resolution.
  • Meter: Sonnets are traditionally written in iambic pentameter, which gives the poem a rhythmic and melodic quality that enhances its emotional impact.

The sonnet’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to condense complex emotions and ideas into a small but potent package, making it a favorite form for poets seeking to explore profound themes with precision and elegance.