Autumn Poetry Quotation

Once again, The Academy of American Poets sent out a beautiful autumn poem this Sunday, this one by Robert Frost. It captures the crisp of fall, of leaves crunching beneath feet, of the tart sweetness of a freshly-picked apple, of the first fires flickering in the wood stove heating the house on a frosty night.

October by Robert Frost
O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
To-morrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
To-morrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow,
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know;
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away;
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes' sake along the wall.

And on this Lord's Day, I also want to share a Scripture verse that my mentor showed me this week, one that I copied into my spiritual journal to keep close at hand. I have been struggling with fear this past week, and this verse brings me peace...His peace...the peace I need so desperately:

Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you; I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

Isaiah 41:10, English Standard Version

Wishing you all the joys and peace of autumn days this Sunday,