The Autumn Has Come

Autumn has come, autumn 's here
Beauteous always, spreading cheer,
Heaven only knows the reason,
Why, but I best love this season.

I sit upon a nearby mound,
Whence I with leisure look around,
Softly murmur in the breeze
The sere leaves falling from the trees,

A-smilling spreads these autumn days
All o'er the earth, the sun his rays,
The loving mother will thus gaze
Upon her sleeping offspring's face,

This is not death o'er which we weep,
The earth in autumn 's but asleep-
All nature shows it is not dead,
It rests awhile its weary head.

It quietly disrobes, the gay
Dress of summer 's put away.

Its flow'ry dress again will don
When roused from sleep by springtide's sun,

Then sleep fair nature, gently sleep,
Till o'er the earth spring's breezes sweep,
And dream the brightest golden dreams
' Of sunlit fields and laughing streams.

My lute touched by my finger tips,
A song arises on my lips,

A lullaby for thee we sing,
Fair nature sleep! sleep till the spring!
Come here, sit close to me my fay,
But silent be, until my lay

Dies out as dies the breeze which blows
Above the stream which yonder flows.

And when we kiss, thy lips, I' trust
But gently touch my own, we must
Not nature, which is gone to rest,
In her sweet autumn sleep molest.