OCTOBER
“The year is but a succession of days,
and I see that I could assign some office to each day
which, summed up, would be the history of the year.”
Henry Thoreau, August 24, 1852
The young black birches
next the Walden south shore are
now clear pale yellow
distinct at distance
like bright-yellow white birches
so slender amid
dense growth of oaks and
evergreens on the steep shores.
October 1, 2024
This is the season of the fall
when the leaves are whirled through the air
like flocks of birds,
the season of birch spangles,
when you see afar a few clear-yellow leaves
left on the tops of the birches.
***
October 1.
Now young black birches
are clear pale yellow amid
the dense evergreens.
October 1, 1854
Silky parachutes
just ready to float away
when the wind rises.
October 1, 1856
Pines half turned yellow,
the needles of this year are
greener by contrast.
October 1, 1857
The fresh bright scarlet
prinos berries seen in prime
amid fresh green leaves.
October 2, 1856
prinos berries seen in prime
amid fresh green leaves.
October 2, 1856
The fringed gentian
has been out some time, but most
already withered.
October 2, 1857
has been out some time, but most
already withered.
October 2, 1857
The sour scent of ferns
reminds me of the season
and of the past years.
reminds me of the season
and of the past years.
October 3.
A wild sound heard far
suited to the wildest lake –
laughing of a loon.
October 3, 1852
These lit glowing leaves
by the dry stony shore of
this cool and deep well.
October 3, 1856.
by the dry stony shore of
this cool and deep well.
October 3, 1856.
See about the pond
clear pale yellow black birches,
maples of all tints.
October 3, 1858
Cooler, autumnal.
You incline to sit in a
sunny sheltered place.
Water milkweed pods
small slender straight and upright.
Seeds large with much wing.
October 4, 1856
small slender straight and upright.
Seeds large with much wing.
October 4, 1856
From time to time a
half-strain from some young sparrow
who thinks it is spring.
October 4, 1857
half-strain from some young sparrow
who thinks it is spring.
October 4, 1857
Witch-hazel in prime,
yellow leaves by their color
concealing flowers.
October 4, 1858
yellow leaves by their color
concealing flowers.
October 4, 1858
Surprised amid these
withered thistles to see one
freshly in flower.
October 5, 1856
Fever-bush contrasts
showy clear lemon yellow
with scarlet berries.
October 5, 1858
I see a fish hawk
skimming low over Walden.
He well knows these fish.
October 5, 1860
The jay's shrill note is
more distinct of late about
the edges of the woods.
October 6, 1856
more distinct of late about
the edges of the woods.
October 6, 1856
Bleached and faded corn
stands quite white in the twilight
against the dark earth.
October 6, 1858
stands quite white in the twilight
against the dark earth.
October 6, 1858
Flocks of straggling crows
fill the air like black fragments
of an explosion.
Oct 6, 1860
fill the air like black fragments
of an explosion.
Oct 6, 1860
Indian-summer –
the sun comes out and lights up
the mellowing year.
the sun comes out and lights up
the mellowing year.
The maple swamps now
one mass of red and yellow,
Behold. All on fire.
.
I sit on a rock
one more time surprised by the
beauty of the world.
Maples by the shore
extending their red banners
over the water.
Trees and weeds alive
this pleasant afternoon with
twittering sparrows.
Black willows lose leaves
and the shore begins to look
quite Novemberish.
October 8, 1858
October 9.The witch-hazel here
is in full blossom on this
magical hillside.
Oxtober 9, 1851
The penetrating
memorable scent of ripe
grapes under my feet.
October 9, 1853
The red maples are
now red and also yellow
and reddening.
October 9, 1853
I now see one small
red maple both pure yellow
and bright red scarlet.
October 9, 1860
October 10.
You make a great noise
walking in the woods now.
The new-fallen leaves.
You make a great noise
walking in the woods now.
The new-fallen leaves.
Flocks of small sparrows
washing and pruning themselves
after a long flight.
October 10, 1853
The most brilliant days
in the year ushered in by
these frosty mornings.
October 10, 1857
Now is true autumn.
The jays scream, red squirrels scold,
all things crisp and ripe.
Oct. 11, 1852
In the woods I hear
a metallic clanging sound.
The note of the jay.
The chickadee's note
has a new significance
in cooler weather.
October 11, 1859
An abundant crop
of white oak acorns now in
the midst of their fall.
Oct. 11, 1860
October 12.
Pine leaves in the woods.
The forest is laying down
Pine leaves in the woods.
The forest is laying down
her winter carpet.
Leaves fallen last night
now lie thick on the water –
concealing the shore.
Now the club mosses --
how vivid a green above
the moist fallen leaves.
Indian summer day.
above these warm rocks.
October 13, 1852
The leafless maples
on the edge of the meadow
look like wisps of smoke.
October 13, 1852
Always the center –the pond is now framed with theautumn-tinted woods.
October 13, 1852
As if it were spring
the shad-bush is leafing by
the sunny swamp-side.
October 13, 1859
October 14.
Leaves of red maples,
Leaves of red maples,
crimson-spotted on yellow,
just like some apples.
Paddling slowly back,
the blue of the sky deepens
in the reflection.
Unusually
blue water contrasts with the
brilliant-tinted woods.
The first snow falling –
large flakes begin to whiten
our thoughts for winter.
Leaves suddenly form
thick beds just the size and form
of the tree above.
Looking for pine cones –
a time to see hornets' nests
the hornets now gone.October 15, 1855
White birches are still
a soft yellow seen against
the greener forest.
are spread on the ground!
Birds which breed far north
arrive from those regions to
fetch the year about.
Novemberish light.
Thoughts sparkle like the water
and the downy twigs.
A severe frost this
morning puts us one remove
further from summer.
October 17, 1851
Fuzzy woolly heads
now reign along all hedge rows
and many broad fields.
October 17, 1856
Now as I come homethe sunset sky white and cold –the mountains distinct.
October 17, 1857
To sit in the rain
under an apple tree trunk
studying the bark.
October 17, 1859
In sun and clear air
bare ashy maple branches
sparkle like silver.
Crows conspicuous
scattered about the meadow,
black against the green.
October 18, 1855
scattered about the meadow,
black against the green.
October 18, 1855
The wintergreen now
shining above the freshly
shining above the freshly
fallen pine needles.
October 19.
The fringed gentian,
an errand of the walker
as well as the bee.
October 19, 1852
The sun reflected
in the pond a dazzling sheen
of shimmering gold.
October 19, 1855
in the pond a dazzling sheen
of shimmering gold.
October 19, 1855
On this rounded rock
covered with fresh pine-needles
I see Wachusett.
October 19, 1856
covered with fresh pine-needles
I see Wachusett.
October 19, 1856
Beautiful they go
painted of a thousand hues,
oak maple and birch.
Merrily they go
scampering over the earth,
selecting their graves.
October 20, 1853
Soon after sunrise
the shadow of the mountain
rapidly contracts.October 20, 1854
Agreeable to me
the scent of the withered leaves,
the year, passing away
October 20, 1855
October 21.
Now as in spring we
look for sheltered and sunny
places where we may sit
October 21, 1857
Before I get home
the sun has set with a cold
white light in the west.
October 21, 1857
Cold and blustering.
It is the breath of winter
encamped not far north.
October 21, 1859
Now the leaves that fell
last night rustle as you walk
through them in the woods.
A bright warm sunset
after a gray afternoon,
lights up every leaf.
October 22, 1852
Seen at a distance
scattered yellow birch-tops are
flames amid the pines.
October 22, 1855
The flowers bloom and
the birds warble their spring notes
like a second spring.
October 23, 1853
Low in the wood-path
the Viola pedata
makes an impression.
October 23, 1853
Struck with clear yellow
finely serrate black birch leaves
on sprouts in the woods.
October 23, 1855
The evergreen ferns
now seen to be evergreen –
stand out all at once.October 23, 1857
Small yellow apples
hanging over the road, branches
gracefully drooping.
October 24, 1852
Half fallen leaves
great circles under the trees
like a reflection.
October 24, 1855
Countless downy seeds
of the goldenrods so fine
we do not notice.
October 24, 1860
October 25.
The ground is strewn with
pine-needles as if sunlight,
the river dark blue.
October 25, 1853
The cold wind rustles
tall dry grass along the shore
and roars in the wood.
October 25, 1853
The willows along
the river now begin to
look bare and wintry.
October 25, 1855
As woods grow silent
we attend to the cheerful
notes of chickadees.
This is the season
when leaves of the fall whirl
through the air like birds.
This is the season
of clear-yellow leaves left on
the tops of birches.
October morning
I wake and find it snowing
unexpectedly.
The strong northwest wind
blows snow horizontally.
The birds seek shelter.
Cold numbs my fingers.
Winter, with its inwardness,
makes one sit to think.
Now the woods look bare
reflected in the water --
birches still yellow.
October 28, 1854
Leaves of the hemlock
now in the midst of its fall,
strew the ground like grain.
October 28, 1858
We make a great noise
going through the fallen leaves
in the wood-paths now.
October 28, 1860
.
birches still yellow.
October 28, 1854
Leaves of the hemlock
now in the midst of its fall,
strew the ground like grain.
October 28, 1858
We make a great noise
going through the fallen leaves
in the wood-paths now.
October 28, 1860
.
The gooseberry leaves
in our garden and in fields
are now fresh scarlet.
Count a hundred crows
advancing from the southeast,
a great rambling flock.
Birches being bare
poplars take their place, burning
brighter than they were.
October 30.
The fall has ended.
This is November landscape
prepared for winter.
prepared for winter.
Now is the time, now
when leaves have fairly
fallen,
to look at the buds.
October 30, 1853
Rain and wind bring down
the leaves and destroy what’s left
of the brilliancy.
October 30, 1858
Frosts in the mornings,
open window for a week:
Indian summer.
It is a fine day,
Indian-summer-like, more
to be expected.
Evergreen wood ferns –
plumes of departing summer,
the departing year
October 31, 1857.
October trees show
the colors they sail under.
Each runs up its flag.
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau
"A book, each page written in its own season,
out-of-doors, in its own locality."
~edited, assembled and rewritten by zphx © 2009-2019
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