An Autumn Day by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The poem describes an autumn day with vivid imagery, focusing on the changing colors of the leaves and the atmosphere of melancholy that accompanies the end of summer. The speaker reflects on the fleeting nature of life and beauty, comparing the passing of autumn to the passage of human life.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1895 · Genre: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric · 211 words
First lines
Leaden skies and a lonesome shadow Where summer has passed with her gorgeous train; Snow on the mountain, and frost on the meadow -- A white face pressed to the window pane; A cold mist falling, a bleak wind calling, And oh! but life seems vain.
Rain is better than golden weather, When the heart is dulled with a dumb despair. Dead leaves lie where they walked together, The hammock is gone, and the rustic chair. Let bleak snows cover the whole world over -- It will never again seem fair.
What this Textopian page supports
An Autumn Day is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1895 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric, Pastoral, Philosophical
- Length: 211 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse with a focus on rhythm and imagery.
- Romanticism — Themes of nature, emotion, and melancholy are prevalent.
- Lyric — Expresses personal emotions and thoughts in a musical manner.
- Pastoral — Describes natural settings and the changing seasons.
Tags
Poetry · Autumn · Nature · Seasonal · Reflection · Melancholy · Nostalgia · Contemplation · Imagery · Sensory · Descriptive · Lyrical