Green Thoughts in Autumn
after Andrew Marvell
As I wander through the umbrageous grove, where verdant foliage begins to fade, and golden light, in languid beams, doth move, I find my thoughts, like nature, overgrown, with cares and longings that, like leaves, are shed, and in their place, a sombre hue is thrown, like twilight’s shadow on the forest bed,
Yet, in this season of decay and death, I find a beauty that doth still persist, a beauty that, like embers, glows beneath the ashes of what once was green and vibrant, and in its warmth, my heart doth find a breath, that stirs the memories of love and joy, and all the moments that I have employed,
In contemplation of the passing years, and all the things that time and fate have brought, I find a sense of peace, a sense of tears, that, like the autumn rain, doth wash away the sorrows of the past, and brings to stay a sense of calm, a sense of endings dear
I took from Andrew Marvell his use of nature imagery and juxtaposition of the small and intimate with the vast and cosmic, as well as his characteristic long and winding lines with intricate syntax. I applied these elements to a new poem that explores the theme of decay and beauty in the autumn season.