Author: Madison Julius Cawein

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There, from its entrance, lost in matted vines,
 Where in the valley foams a water-fall,
 Is glimpsed a ruined mill's remaining wall;
 Here, by the road, the oxeye daisy mines
 Hot brass and bronze; the trumpet-trailer shines
 Red as the plumage of the cardinal.
 Faint from the forest comes the rain-crow's call
 Where dusty Summer dreams among the pines.
 This is the spot where Spring writes wildflower verses
 In primrose pink, while, drowsing o'er his reins,
 The ploughman, all unnoticing, plods along:
 And where the Autumn opens weedy purses
 Of sleepy silver, while the corn-heaped wains
 Rumble the bridge like some deep throat of song.

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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 beautifully embraces the theme of nature's passage through the seasons, while employing vivid imagery and personification to bring to life an idyllic rural landscape. The poem's structure is deliberately divided to represent each season, starting with the lush, vibrant summer, transitioning into the serene tranquility of fall, and finally, the quiet dormancy of winter. This cyclical structure reinforces the poem’s thematic exploration of the constant, inevitable passage of time.

The tone of the poem is meditative and contemplative, inviting the reader to pause and appreciate the natural world's beauty and the simple, unassuming ways in which it changes over time. The poet masterfully uses color symbolism to paint a vivid picture of each season. For example, the "Hot brass and bronze" of summer flowers and the "Red as the plumage of the cardinal" in fall. The alliteration in phrases like "ploughman, all unnoticing, plods along," adds a musical quality to the reading, while the use of metaphor in the final line, "Rumble the bridge like some deep throat of song," leaves a lasting impression of the omnipresent, harmonious rhythm of nature. The poem, therefore, not only celebrates the beauty of the natural world but also underscores its intrinsic connection to human life and the arts.