Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SONNETS FROM A FORESTER'S NOTEBOOK, by R. P. HARRISS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SONNETS FROM A FORESTER'S NOTEBOOK, by                    
First Line: The autumn drones away, a subtle hint
Last Line: Awake once more to the old cadences
Subject(s): Forest Rangers


I
The autumn drones away, a subtle hint
Of winter night is in the heavy trees.
The dream-drugged flowers offer without stint
Their honey to the banded forest bees.
So strong and sweet now flows the heady wine
Of golden sunshine through leaf-weighted bowers
The distant ring of axes, the low whine
And rasp of saws seem one with woodland hours.
Today I saw her, near my favorite oak,
Slipping half-hidden past the bank of fern
About its base. I saw her pause and turn --
Furtive and silent as the forest folk.
Quiet as a fawn, yet poignant as old sorrow:
Tomorrow. Shall I see her then? Tomorrow . . .

II
All day I waited by the great oak tree
And took no heed of time, save when the sun
Sank down at last, and wood folk one by one
Crept forth to play, nor took they heed of me.
And uninspired to guess life's mystery
I mused upon the quest I had begun
And pondered this and that, and having done
With watching left, unnoticed, quietly.
Here in my cabin on the highest hill,
Heir to the stars, encradled by the night,
I lay me down, remembering with what will
I shall arise again when the new light
Rolls down the topmost ridge, and streams and trees
Awake once more to the old cadences





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