Song of Autumn
By W. H. Auden
Now the leaves are falling fast,
Nurse’s flowers will not last,
Nurses to their graves are gone,
But the prams go rolling on.Whispering neighbours left and right
Daunt us from our true delight,
Able hands are forced to freeze
Derelict on lonely knees.Close behind us on our track,
Dead in hundreds cry Alack,
Arms raised stiffly to reprove
In false attitudes of love.Scrawny through a plundered wood,
Trolls run scolding for their food,
Owl and nightingale are dumb,
And the angel will not come.Clear, unscalable, ahead
Rise the Mountains of Instead,
From whose cold cascading streams
None may drink except in dreams.
Summary of Song of Autumn
- A Portrait of Transition: “Song of Autumn,” penned by W. H. Auden in 1936, is not merely a description of the season; it is a meditation on the cyclical nature of life, death, and the acceptance of inevitable change. The poem captures a sense of melancholy and resignation as the vibrancy of life fades with the arrival of autumn.
- Central Idea: The Inexorable March of Time: At its heart, “Song of Autumn” explores the idea that time relentlessly moves forward, bringing with it loss and decay. While life continues, symbolized by the rolling prams, the poem emphasizes the inevitability of death and the fading of joy. It is a somber recognition of the transient nature of existence.
- Understanding the Tone: The poem’s tone is remarkably detached and almost clinical in its observation of decay. Auden doesn’t express overt grief, but rather presents a stark, unblinking view of the world surrendering to the cold embrace of autumn and, by extension, death. This distance lends a particular weight and poignancy to the poem’s message.
Analysis of Literary Devices in Song of Autumn
Imagery and Symbolism: Painting a World in Decline
Auden masterfully employs imagery to create a vivid, yet desolate, landscape. Consider the opening lines: “Now the leaves are falling fast, / Nurse’s flowers will not last.” The falling leaves and withering flowers are not just seasonal occurrences; they are powerful symbols of mortality and the fleeting beauty of life. This imagery establishes a melancholic mood that permeates the entire poem.
The “prams go rolling on” is perhaps the most striking symbolic image. While everything else succumbs to decay, the prams represent the continuation of life, a poignant counterpoint to the surrounding decline. It is a reminder that even in the face of death, life persists, creating a complex and bittersweet feeling.
Sound Devices: Enhancing the Poem’s Rhythm and Mood
Auden skillfully uses sound devices to amplify the poem’s impact. Alliteration—the repetition of consonant sounds—can be found in lines like “Able hands are forced to freeze,” creating a sense of harshness and coldness. Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds, subtly enhances the poem’s musicality, as in “Nurse’s flowers will not last.” These devices aren’t merely decorative; they actively contribute to the poem’s overall mood and meaning.
Metaphor and Personification: Giving Life to the Abstract
While not heavily reliant on extended metaphors, Auden uses brief metaphorical moments to powerful effect. The image of “Mountains of Instead” is particularly intriguing, functioning as a metaphor for unattainable desires or a distant, idealized future. The mountains are “unscalable,” suggesting that these aspirations are forever beyond reach.
Personification adds to the poem’s unsettling atmosphere. The “whispering neighbours” and the “dead” who cry “Alack” imbue the surroundings with a sense of sentience and accusation, intensifying the feeling of isolation and despair.
Anaphora and Repetition: Emphasizing Key Ideas
Though subtle, the repetition of certain phrases and structures contributes to the poem’s cohesive effect. While not a prominent feature, the consistent quatrain form, four-line stanzas, and the AABB rhyme scheme create a sense of inevitability and cyclicality, mirroring the themes of life and death.
Analysis of Poetic Devices in Song of Autumn
Rhyme Scheme and Meter: Shaping the Poem’s Music
“Song of Autumn” adheres to a consistent AABB rhyme scheme throughout its five stanzas. This simple rhyme scheme contributes to the poem’s musicality and reinforces its sense of inevitability. The consistent rhythm, while not strictly metered, creates a flowing, almost lullaby-like quality, contrasting with the poem’s somber subject matter.
Quatrain Form: Structure and Stability
The use of quatrains (four-line stanzas) provides a sense of structure and stability to the poem. Each quatrain presents a distinct image or idea, contributing to the poem’s overall narrative flow. The consistent stanza form reinforces the themes of cyclicality and inevitability.
Enjambment: Creating Momentum
Auden uses enjambment—the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next—to create a sense of momentum and fluidity. This technique prevents the poem from feeling overly rigid or fragmented, allowing the reader to flow seamlessly from one image to the next. For example, consider how the thought continues beyond the line breaks in the second stanza.
Quotes to Consider
“Now the leaves are falling fast,
Nurse’s flowers will not last,
Nurses to their graves are gone,
But the prams go rolling on.”
These opening lines encapsulate the poem’s central theme: the cyclical nature of life and death. The imagery of decay is juxtaposed with the image of new life, creating a poignant and thought‑provoking contrast.
“Clear, unscalable, ahead
Rise the Mountains of Instead,”
These lines offer a glimpse of unattainable desire or a distant, idealized future, highlighting the human tendency to yearn for something beyond reach.
“Song of Autumn” is a powerful and evocative poem that continues to resonate with readers today. Through its masterful use of imagery, sound devices, and poetic form, Auden creates a haunting portrait of loss, decay, and the inevitability of time. It is a poem that invites reflection on the transient nature of existence and the enduring power of life.