by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
(published 1918)
“Come, little leaves,” said the wind one day,“Come o’er the meadows with me, and play.
Put on your dresses of red and gold;
Summer is gone, and the days grow cold.”
Soon as the leaves heard the wind’s low call, Down they came fluttering, one and all;
Over the brown fields they danced and flew, Singing the soft little songs they knew.
“Cricket, good-by, we’ve been friends so long! Pretty brook, sing us your farewell song;
Say you are sorry to see us go. Oh! you will miss us, right well we know.
“Dear little lambs, in your fleecy fold, Mother will keep you from harm and cold;
Fondly we’ve watched you in vale and glade: Say, will you dream of our loving shade?”
Dancing and whirling, the little leaves went: Winter had called them, and they were content.
Soon fast asleep in their earthly beds, The snow laid a coverlet over their heads.
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This is the first poem I can remember hearing. My mom's dad, George Bain Gailbreath, taught me the first stanza and I've never forgotten it. I always thought that was all of it and figured it was something he had made up. I never realized until today that it had other verses and was made into a children's song. This old poem is full of melancholy, because as beautiful as Autumn can be, it makes me sad for the little leaves that have already begun to change and fall. Now that I've bummed everyone out, Happy Fall, Y'all!!
