Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE OCTOBER REDBREAST by ALICE MEYNELL

Poet Analysis

First Line: AUTUMN IS WEARY, HALT, AND OLD
Last Line: THIS SINGING-BIRD'S A LAD, A LAD.
Subject(s): BIRDS; YOUTH;

AUTUMN is weary, halt, and old;
Ah, but she owns the song of joy!
Her colours fade, her woods are cold.
Her singing-bird's a boy, a boy.

In lovely Spring the birds were bent
On nests, on use, on love, forsooth!
Grown-up were they. This boy's content,
For his is liberty, his is youth.

The musical stripling sings for play
Taking no thought, and virgin-glad.
For duty sang those mates in May.
This singing-bird's a lad, a lad.



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