October

"The most glorious month of the year."-Allen

October

October
by Lottie Brown Allen

O, golden days! O, quiet, peaceful days!
October’s winsome voice we now can hear,
While all around, her magic wand she plays,
To consummate the crowning of the year.

Behold her ’mid a wealth of golden sheaves,
Most glorious month of all the year, she stands,
Upon her brow a wreath of crimson leaves,
While purple clusters fill her outstretched hands.

How could we know that when the flower-strewn spring
And all the happy summer days were past,
October would this golden mantle fling
To warm our hearts e’er comes the winter’s blast.

Then linger on, fair days of golden light,
And grant to leave in us an after glow,
That shall shine on throughout the winter night,
That shall not pale before the winter snow.

Lottie Brown Allen’s poem “October” beautifully captures the essence of this transitional month between summer and winter. The poem portrays October as a figure of grace and beauty. The imagery of golden light, crimson leaves, and purple clusters of fruit paints a vivid picture of nature’s abundance and beauty in this harvest time.

Allen compares October to a queen crowned with nature’s splendor, holding the season’s richness. Spring and summer may have had their blooms and warmth, but October’s “golden mantle” brings a warmth that prepares us for the cold of winter.

The poem also reflects a desire to hold on to the beauty and light of these final warm days before winter sets in. Allen wishes that October’s golden glow will linger in our hearts, providing warmth and light even in winter’s darkest, coldest days. The poem celebrates the present and hopes its beauty sustains us through challenges.

She reminds us to cherish the fleeting moments of beauty in nature and to hold on to the warmth they bring, even as the seasons change.

It is also a reminder to hold on to the beauty of life because life is fleeting.

Lest we forget, Halloween is near, as is the holiday season.