Author: Madison Julius Cawein

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    I saw the Summer through her garden go,
    A marigold hung in her auburn hair,
    Her brown arms heaped with harvest, and the lair
    Of poppied plenty, like the peach aglow:
    Among the pepper-pods, in scarlet row,
    And golden gourds and melons, where the pear
    And quince hung heavy, in the languid air
    She laid her down and let her eyes close slow.
    Not so much breath as blows the thistle by,
    Not so much sound as rounds a cricket's croon,
    Was in her sleep, and yet about her seemed
    The long dark sweep of rain, the whirling cry
    And roar of winds beneath a stormy moon.
    Was it a dream of Autumn that she dreamed?

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Type of Poem: Sonnet

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem is a vivid portrayal of the transition from summer to autumn, with a rich use of personification and imagery. The speaker presents summer as a woman, resplendent in the bounty of her season, her "brown arms heaped with harvest," and adorned with "a marigold hung in her auburn hair." The first half of the poem focuses on the lush abundance of summer, with its "golden gourds and melons" and "pepper-pods, in scarlet row," painting a vibrant picture of life and growth.

However, the tone shifts in the second half of the poem, as summer lays down and falls into a sleep filled with the sounds and sensations of an incoming storm, indicative of the changing season. The poet uses subtle auditory imagery here, with "not so much breath as blows the thistle by" and "not so much sound as rounds a cricket's croon" to evoke the quietude of summer's end. The concluding question, "Was it a dream of Autumn that she dreamed?" leaves readers with a sense of anticipation and uncertainty, characteristic of seasonal transitions. Structurally, the poem is well-balanced, with the first half celebrating the vibrancy of summer, and the second part ushering in the ominous arrival of autumn, making it a compelling ode to the cyclical nature of seasons.