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| Apfelbaum |
AN AUTUMN FANCY by Nina Bell
O, For a brief sweet autumn afternoon,
In girlhood's beatific realm of dreams,
An hour from memory's cherished garden plucked,—
Flowers that fade and die, alas, too soon.
From far a gleam appears, A breeze that through the years
Blows back the fragrance of the country leas,
Blows back the fragrance of the country leas,
And thoughts of youth recall,
Past scenes, but most of all,
A girl a-dreaming midst the laden apple trees.
A girl a-dreaming midst the laden apple trees.
Concealed by drooping limbs that sway and creak,
Thick hung with red and juicy Jonathans,
Or through the dusky green the amber tint
Of Jeffries, pied with many a crimson streak;
Thick hung with red and juicy Jonathans,
Or through the dusky green the amber tint
Of Jeffries, pied with many a crimson streak;
With Wagner's ruddy cheek,
And Pippins plump and sleek,
The mellow "punkies" bursting just o'erhead,
The mellow "punkies" bursting just o'erhead,
While hung a-poised on high,
The Maiden Blush so shy,
Persuades that hither startled Grecian Daphne fled.
Persuades that hither startled Grecian Daphne fled.
There, pillowed on the tawny, sun-warmed mold,
In utter solitude, with none to spy,
The cloud be-sprinkled sky spread high above,
Below, the fields touched now with gaudy gold;
In utter solitude, with none to spy,
The cloud be-sprinkled sky spread high above,
Below, the fields touched now with gaudy gold;
And on the air no sound,
To break the silence 'round,
Save far away the house dog's bark at home,
Or the noise a windfall makes,
When the weighted fruit tree shakes,
Or the noise a windfall makes,
When the weighted fruit tree shakes,
And it falls with a "plunk" in the soft and yielding loam.
Thus fast secure from household's busy thrift,
The troublous care floats off on airy wings,
And fancies fond the willing mind possess;
When sudden* shadows darkly falling, lift
The troublous care floats off on airy wings,
And fancies fond the willing mind possess;
When sudden* shadows darkly falling, lift
The gaze up through the blue
Of the sky's translucent hue,
Surprised to find the sun already low;
O, thus to dream away One hazy autumn day, Amid the laden orchard trees of long ago!