Photo by Havvanur Akın
Autumn, the romantic and aesthetic girl’s favorite season, is well advanced. Ideally, at least a little of your fall is being spent not only in coffee shops with pumpkin spice lattes and cozy kitchens with hot cider, but also outside. The winds, the leaves, the colors, the stab of chill in the air (at least here in the Midwest), are all vital aspects of fall.
More subtle but still vital are the two contrasting spirits of autumn: the invigorating sense of joy in the season’s many comforts, versus its inevitable sense of melancholy as flowers die and leaves fade, and reflection on what has been accomplished over the active months preceding it.
These are essential parts of autumn just as much as the seasonal drinks and the sweaters are. Fall can often be a time to slow down, to prepare for winter and reflect on the past year, nearly at its completion.
Here are 6 captivating autumn poems to enjoy in those peaceful moments you make to take in the world, whether you are at an apple orchard, taking a walk in the woods, or enjoying a study break at a cafe. Some blend the temperaments of fall weather with the melancholy feelings it induces, some reflect on the spiritual changes of the world during the seasonal shift, while others simply dwell on the picturesque landscape. Either way, pause for a little while to appreciate the autumnal spirit in all its variety of ways.
01 | “Ode to the West Wind” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
“Ode to the West Wind” is a poem perfect for reading after a long walk or hike in the woods: vivid, evocative, and dramatic in the way it personifies nature and allows the reader to imagine herself also a part of nature. Like many fall poems, it references spring, looking forward to it with hope, but still rejoices greatly in the wild glories of autumn.
02 | “Fall, Leaves, Fall” by Emily Brontë
“Fall, Leaves, Fall” is brief, but encapsulates the transient spirit of autumn leaves and demonstrates what it is to love every season for its unique beauties.
03 | “Hurrahing in Harvest” by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Gerard Manley Hopkins has magic in all of his poems, and “Hurrahing in Harvest” is no exception. It follows his classic style of glorious wordplay, reflecting on both the visuals of early autumn as well as the forceful energy alive in the fall air, and gives full praise to the Creator for all of it.
04 | “Especially When the October Wind” by Dylan Thomas
“Especially When the October Wind” suits the cold, dreariness, and ache that often characterizes late fall, but still is made romantic by sweeping verse and vivid imagery. It’s best enjoyed when warm and snug inside after a chilly, eerie walk wrapped up in a dramatic coat and the biggest scarf you own.
05 | “Autumn” by Christina Rossetti
“Autumn” is certainly the most melancholy of these selections, but incredibly beautiful in its melancholy. Best read outside—or in an ivy-bound tower if one is available to pine away in—while the wind wildly whisks leaves and ships alike ‘round about. Rossetti’s poem is an intense read, but a rich piece of poetry.
06 | “To Autumn” by John Keats
“To Autumn” captures the perfection of fall. If the last two poems were grey and brown, Keats’ work is golden and rosy red and the happy vision of autumn that the fall girls long for all summer. It begins with beautiful imagery and draws to a grand close with a reminder not to wish unduly for spring and a litany of wonderful autumnal sounds.
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