by Amy Lowell (1874 - 1925)
Late September
Language: English
Tang of fruitage in the air; Red boughs bursting everywhere; Shimmering of seeded grass; Hooded gentians all amass. Warmth of earth, and cloudless wind Tearing off the husky rind, Blowing feathered seeds to fall By the sun-baked, sheltering wall. Beech trees in a golden haze; Hardy sumachs all ablaze, Glowing through the silver birches. How that pine tree shouts and lurches! From the sunny door-jamb high, Swings the shell of a butterfly. Scrape of insect violins Through the stubble shrilly dins. Every blade's a minaret Where a small muezzin's set, Loudly calling us to pray At the miracle of day. Then the purple-lidded night Westering comes, her footsteps light Guided by the radiant boon Of a sickle-shaped new moon.
Authorship:
- by Amy Lowell (1874 - 1925), "Late September" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Alec Roth (b. 1948), "Late September", first performed 2013 [mezzo-soprano and piano], from Four Garden Songs, no. 4, confirmed with a concert programme booklet [ sung text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-01-30
Line count: 24
Word count: 119