Birds Migrate when they sense
The seasons turning against them—²
When the seasons turn—we Turn with them—³
God himself Dances the dance that Turns—
To bring the year back round …⁴
Winter Sun, of course, is kind,
And Summer’s Wind a savior,
And we’ll Merrily sing of Fall & Spring
When they’re on their Good Behavior—⁵
Spring, summer, childing autumn, angry winter
Change our wonted liveries—and the Mazèd world!⁶
In spring there is Hope, in fall the exquisite, necessary Diminishing,
In winter we’re Sleepy as any beast in its leafy cave, but
In summer there’s everywhere a Luminous sprawl of gifts.⁷
Four Seasons fill the measure of a year,
There are four seasons in the mind of man.⁸
The season Excellis with Sweetness that smellis!⁹
Maybe it’s just the time of Year,
Or maybe it is the time of Man …¹⁰
¹ Edna St. Vincent Millay, Theme and Variations
² Austin Smith, We Defy Augury
³ Nick Makoha, King Alphonso
⁴ Ursula K. Le Guin, The Birthday of the World
⁵ Ogden Nash, It’s Never Fair Weather
⁶ William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
⁷ Mary Oliver, Six Recognitions of the Lord
⁸ John Keats, Sonnet: To Mrs. Reynolds’s Cat
⁹ Alexander Montgomerie, The Night is Near Gone
¹⁰ Joni Mitchell, Woodstock