The month of carnival of all the year,
When Nature lets the wild earth go its way,
And spend whole seasons on a single day.
The spring-time holds her white and purple dear;
October, lavish, flaunts them far and near;
The summer charily her reds doth lay
Like jewels on her costliest array;
October, scornful, burns them on a bier.
The winter hoards his pearls of frost in sign
Of kingdom: whiter pearls than winter knew,
Oar empress wore, in Egypt’s ancient line,
October, feasting ‘neath her dome of blue,
Drinks at a single draught, slow filtered through
Sunshiny air, as in a tingling wine!
(Helen Hunt Jackson)
More Poetry from Helen Hunt Jackson:
Helen Hunt Jackson Poems based on Topics: Summer, Winter, Sign & Symbol, Wine- Habeas Corpus (Helen Hunt Jackson Poems)
- Refrain (Helen Hunt Jackson Poems)
- The Fir-Tree and the Brook (Helen Hunt Jackson Poems)
- My Tenants (Helen Hunt Jackson Poems)
- Coronation (Helen Hunt Jackson Poems)
- The Poet's Forge (Helen Hunt Jackson Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Summer Poems, Winter Poems, Wine Poems, Sign & Symbol PoemsBased on Keywords: scornful, lavish, reds, oar, feasting, bier, empress, filtered, spring-time, costliest, flaunts