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Poem
December 31, 1772
The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
A didactic poem personifying falling autumn leaves to admonish thoughtless mortals, virgins, misers, the proud, scholars, and youth about inevitable decline and mortality, concluding with a call to place hopes in the eternal Tree of Life.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
POET'S CORNER.
The FALL of the LEAF.
See the Leaves around ye falling,
Dry and wither'd to the Ground,
Thus to thoughtless Mortals calling,
In a sad and solemn Sound.
Song of Adam, once in Eden,
When, like us, he lightly fell,
Hear the Lecture we are reading,
'Tis, alas! the Truth we tell.
Virgins, much too much, presuming
On your boasted White and Red;
View us, late in Beauty blooming,
Number'd now among the Dead!
Griping Misers, nightly waking,
See the End of all your Care
Fold, on Wings of our own making,
We have left our Owners bare.
Sons of Honour, fed on Prides,
Fluttering high in fancied Worths
Lo! the fickle Air that rais'd
Brings us down to parent Earth.
Learned Sires, in System guided,
Who for new Ones daily call;
Cease, at length, by us persuaded,
Every Leaf must have a Fall.
Youth, though yet no Leafs deceive you,
Gay in Health, and manly Grace
Let not cloudless Skies deceive you,
Summer gives to Autumn place.
On the Tree of Life eternal
Man, let all thy Hopes be stay'd,
Where alone, for ever vernal,
Bear the Leaves that never fade.
The FALL of the LEAF.
See the Leaves around ye falling,
Dry and wither'd to the Ground,
Thus to thoughtless Mortals calling,
In a sad and solemn Sound.
Song of Adam, once in Eden,
When, like us, he lightly fell,
Hear the Lecture we are reading,
'Tis, alas! the Truth we tell.
Virgins, much too much, presuming
On your boasted White and Red;
View us, late in Beauty blooming,
Number'd now among the Dead!
Griping Misers, nightly waking,
See the End of all your Care
Fold, on Wings of our own making,
We have left our Owners bare.
Sons of Honour, fed on Prides,
Fluttering high in fancied Worths
Lo! the fickle Air that rais'd
Brings us down to parent Earth.
Learned Sires, in System guided,
Who for new Ones daily call;
Cease, at length, by us persuaded,
Every Leaf must have a Fall.
Youth, though yet no Leafs deceive you,
Gay in Health, and manly Grace
Let not cloudless Skies deceive you,
Summer gives to Autumn place.
On the Tree of Life eternal
Man, let all thy Hopes be stay'd,
Where alone, for ever vernal,
Bear the Leaves that never fade.
What sub-type of article is it?
Ode
Hymn
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Death Mourning
Religious Faith
What keywords are associated?
Falling Leaves
Mortality
Moral Instruction
Eternal Life
Autumn Metaphor
Poem Details
Title
The Fall Of The Leaf.
Subject
Meditation On Mortality Through Falling Leaves
Form / Style
Rhymed Quatrains
Key Lines
Every Leaf Must Have A Fall.
Summer Gives To Autumn Place.
On The Tree Of Life Eternal
Man, Let All Thy Hopes Be Stay'd,
Where Alone, For Ever Vernal,
Bear The Leaves That Never Fade.