I love how this poem addresses the season of Autumn, and how it captures some of the nuances that make it a beautiful season. It gets at the idea that there is a certain ephemeral feel to Autumn that comes from the creation of new life (the poem describes the growth of fruits) even as death approaches with Winter. I think the rhyme scheme in this poem is especially interesting – in each stanza, the poem begins with an ABAB scheme, followed by CDE, but the first stanza ends with DCCE rather than the second and third’s CDDE. I think this difference in rhyme scheme amplifies the tensions in the poem of life and death, as well as work and idleness. The first stanza describes the immense life and work taking place during Autumn, but the next stanza captures different parts of Autumn – the sitting back and watching seasons change. The poem is written mostly consistently in iambic pentameter, evoking a sense of regularity that is mirrored in the part of the poem that discusses bees–the bees know that they’ll have work to do later, and the return of summer is inherent in Autumn. This is interesting in comparison to the varying rhyme scheme, and gives insight into the general theme of both regularity and uniqueness in the season.
Ode to Autumn
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Hi Layla, I love how you have interpreted the significance of the rhyme scheme. I’m presenting on this poem, and while we noticed the unique rhyme scheme, we weren’t sure what to make of it. I like that you talk about the tension between life and death, but I also think that the poem reflects a special feeling of content with the approaching winter and the role that death plays in highlighting the beautiful parts of life. So maybe the regular meter of the poem in conjunction with the irregular rhyme scheme reflects that tension between avoiding and giving in to death as an inevitable part of life?