Autumn of the lonely man

Dark autumn comes in full of fruit and fullness,

Yellowed splendor of fair summer days.

A pure blue strides out of a fallen husk;

The flight of birds rings out from ancient lays.

Pressed is all the wine, the gentle hush

Fulfills with easy answer darkling queries.

And there and there a cross on desert hills;

In the red wood goes astray a herd.

Above the mirroring pond the cloudlet rolls;

To rest the countryman’s restful gestures turn.

Easily the evening’s blue wing troubles

A roof of dried-out straw, the darkling earth.

Soon nest stars within the tired man’s brow;

Into cool rooms enters a still summons

And angels easy tread from out the blue

Eyes of lovers, who have gentler sorrows.

Rustles reed; begins a bony daybreak

When the dew drops black from bare-branched willows.

Georg Trakl