O Summer, do you leave us and so soon?
And take from us your pleasant, sunny days
That linger into twilight, after noon
Has filled earth’s treasure with its warming rays?
The brilliant skies of autumn utter cries
Of triumph’s hope, in Earth’s futility,
To which it yearly clearly testifies,
As blazing leaves fall from each conquered tree.
No sunny prospects now before us lie,
As summer fades, and Winters’ trumpet blows
Through frosty windowsill and wild goose cry,
And dark skies bode the coming of the snows.
What light shall cheer the winter-darkened panes
Of windows once illu’med by evening rays
Of summer sun, or dewed by spring’s sweet rains -
Shall gladness shrink as shorter grow the days?
Oh no, my soul has treasures deep and true
That spreads their mighty gladness through the year
And cheer my poor heart all the winter through
And trump decays and triumph over fear.
My soul has Jesus, maker of the sun
Whose love is warmer than the summer’s rays
Who’s loved by him need never feel alone
Nor desolate the soul that sings His praise.
Let love cheer all the windows of our home
And of our souls when cold and darkness fall
Around, outside - inside they need not come.
Our hearts have Christ, our light, our joy, our all.
And when the spring returns with flowers bright
And life awakes, and birds sing high and clear
We’ll see foretold the setting all things right
That’s echoed in the turning of the year.
- AFC, 9-22-2009
