The drumming swans have fallen silent far away,
Beyond the sultry meadows cranes have ceased their whooping,
Above the ruddy ricks a hawk is circling, swooping,
And in the reedbed autumn rustles with its sway.
On broken wattle fence the agile hop now trains,
The apple droops, the scent of morning plum is wafting,
In cheerful inns the beer into the kegs they’re drafting.
From darkened hush of fields comes quiver of pipe’s strains.
Above the pond the light and pearly clouds drift by,
And lilac and translucent, western skies are gleaming.
And, bush-concealed, the boys to catch the birds are scheming —
Their snares they’ve set where needles’ green blots out the sky.
From fields of gold, from where a haze of blue smoke reeks,
Behind the laden wagons moves the girls’ procession —
With swaying thighs concealed by skirts of skimpy hessian,
And sunburnt, almost honeyed gleam of golden cheeks.