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From: Kim Mlcak
Date: 3/2/2004
Time: 6:44:41 PM
Remote Name: 24.1.72.245
I have chosen to answer the questions about the poem "To Autumn". The overall impression that the poet is trying to convey is the changing of seasons displayed in rich, descriptive words of how late summer to early fall changes into late fall and then to early winter. He is relaying time, life and mood changes in relation to the changes of the seasons. The language is very descriptive, and rich calling into service all of our senses. We can "see" the changes, "smell" the changes, "feel" the changes, as well as "hear" the changes taking place from the late summer and into winter. In the early fall all the fruits of the plantings are still growing. The apples trees are heavy with the weight of the fruit, the gourds swell, the hazel nuts are plumped in their shells. Everything is wonderful, peaceful, warm as if the days of summer will never cease and will brim over their clammy cells. There is a feeling of heaviness and fullness. There will be plenty of food as the crops are rich in fruit. The second stanza shows autumn has finally arrived. It is harvest time. One can see himself in the granary. It is time to stand by the cider press and patiently watch the last oozings hours by hours of the fruits of the harvest. This stanza utilizes the sense of smell, sight, and touch to relay the wonderful bounty of autumn. There are descriptions of fumes of poppies, watching the last oozings of a cyder press making cider, as well as the hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind. Life is still good, there is more activity in this stanza, but it is all fine because it is in preparation for what is to come. The third stanza starts asking the question where are the songs of spring. Of course they are gone. It is now winter. The senses are utilized again to describe the feel of the winter. Plants have died, the plains are stubbly,and the birds are ready to fly south to warmer climates. The days become short, as the soft-dying day describes. Life is still fine, there is acceptance of the normal life cycle of changes that occurs in all of nature. This poem is full of personification as well as examples of onomatopoeia. Some examples of personification include in stanza 1 the clammy cells, and the maturing sun. In stanza 2 thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours, and on a half-reaped furrow. In stanza 3 the soft dying day, and sinking as the light wind lives or dies are other examples. Examples of onomatopoeia include wailful choir, the small gnats mourn,and full grown lambs loud bleat. The changing images in each of the stanzas strongly support the overall feeling of change that take place all life and time. The poem reassures us that change is natural and alright. There is really no sadness or bitterness related to this changing of the seasons, the passing of time. This is supported in stanza 1 when Keats talks about the maturing sun and the fruit full and growing. The second stanza shows that winter is close, the days grow shorter, it is almost time to rest, as on a half reaped furrow sound asleep. The third stanza describes the coming of winter. The birds are in the sky ready to fly to warmer places, and the barred clouds bloom the soft dying day. One of my favorite memories of autumn was when I was a freshman in college in New York. I had been raised in California and Texas where there is really no gradual change of season. That year in New York I had the opportunity to drive home with a friend to New Hampshire. It was the most spectacular drive I think I have ever been on. I had never seen so many different shades of yellow, orange, red and brown through the car windows. It was amazing to see the bright colored wardrobe that each different tree had. We stopped several times so that I could gather some of the colorful leaves. I wanted to take them back to school so that I could dry them and preserve them until I went home for Christmas in California and share the beauty with my family. Still after all these years and having had the privledge of living in many places, I have never seen as magnificant a sight as that Wednesday before Thanksgiving in New Hampshire.