Fall Comes,With Quiet Changes

Fall Comes, With Quiet Changes The dying-time of Summer things has come; Leaves burn with color, fall with the lessening light. The cadence of change beats on my heart's hollow drum, As the Spirit of Fall descends with the cold of the night. Youth's fire burning quietly now, No longer leaping from highs to lows, Feeding my wisdom's tree, now stronger, firmer fruit upon the bough As now the passion does not burn, but glows. Turning towards twilight, day spun out to its final thread A somehow colder, brighter sun Touches the last of summer's green, softening to red Lighting a landscape of life undone. Let not the passion that ruled me just die out, But let my body play the horse to my soul So inspiration may show forth with its voiceless shout To kindle the flame that sleeps in the coal. The shadows stretch with the shortening days Cool breezes bite at the receding warm Clouds pull to tendrils as birds fly away To escape the grey sting in the Winter's storm. My youth's mad energy is nearly spent But not the strength that lies below. The depth of meaning this Autumn's falling sent Will color my world 'til the dim time of the snows.