Sometime last fall, or maybe even longer ago than that, Blind Pig reader, Kerry in GA, left the following comment:
“These last couple weeks have made me think of a rhyme my great aunts used to say.
“Come” said the wind to the leaves one day. “Come o’er the meadows and we will play. Put on your dresses scarlet and gold, For Summer is gone and the days grow cold.”
I wonder now if they learned that in school or from somebody older when they were young. I wish I had asked them. Kerry in GA”
—-
I had never heard nor read the rhyme before Kerry left the comment, but I loved it so much that I stuck Kerry’s comment away so I could study on the rhyme.
The rhyme is from a children’s song of the 1880’s. The poet George Cooper (1838-1927) wrote the following poem titled Come Little Leaves.
“Come, little leaves,”
Said the wind one day,
“Come over the meadows
With me, and play;
Put on your dresses
Of red and gold;
Summer is gone,
And the days grow cold.”
Soon as the leaves
Heard the wind’s loud call,
Down they came fluttering,
One and all;
Over the meadows
They danced and flew,
Singing the soft
Little songs they knew.
Dancing and flying
The little leaves went;
Winter had called them
And they were content-
Soon fast asleep
In their earthy beds,
The snow laid a soft mantle
Over their heads.
—-
Even though the book doesn’t credit Cooper with the song, I’m guessing his poem is where the rhyme or little song originated. Mostly I’m just glad Kerry introduced me to the rhyme for I think of it every time I walk out to the backyard to feed the chickens and hear the fluttering leaves scurry along on their way like they’re in a hurry to go.
“Come” said the wind to the leaves one day. “Come o’er the meadows and we will play. Put on your dresses scarlet and gold, For Summer is gone and the days grow cold.”
Tipper
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
My mom recited this to me when I was young and I did the same for my kids. One of my favorites, and it brings back memories of playing in the leaves, building leaf piles to jump in and leaf homes to play in. I’m so Blessed. TY
My Mother always sang this song when fall came. It reminds me of her. I remember it growing up and it has a lot of meaning to me.
yes it does
Such a sweet poem!!! I’d never heard it before, and now I’m glad I have because I believe I too shall think of it when winds blow leaves through in the Fall.
God bless.
RB
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I really like this poem also!
Thanks for sharing it Tipper and Kerry!!
My sweet beloved Mother also sang the Leaves song every Autumn. She grew up in N.E. Arkansas! So being a northern born child of southern parents it always reminds me of the stories she spoke of the 1 room school house & riding in a horse drawn buggy.
my mother said this poem and I am so happy to finally hear all the words so thank you very much
I love it Tipper! It will be written out on my back porch chalk board. I’ve come to realize that the chalk board by the back door is terrible for household notes like I intended to use it for when I made it. I put things there and only guests end up really looking at it. So now I will put verses there, this one will be th first one up and the inspiration to change it from a to do board into a lovely seasonal verse board! Thank you!
That was a very nice little verse. I had heard a similar one once, but I like this better. Thank you for your fresh, informative, fun and “all round feel good” blog!
tipper i really loved that poem.. its so beautiful.. and isnt fall something…. with all its colors and crisp air and blue blue skies..
hope all are well in your corner of the world… sending big hugs and ladybug love
xoxo
lynn
That was an enjoyable reminder of Fall. Yes, I remember something like that being read during my elementary school days, but I never remembered it in its entirity. Thanks for sharing that poem!
I love this little poem! Thank you.
Your so welcome. I’m glad yall enjoyed the rhyme/poem. I always think of it this time of year and of my aunts as well.
What a lovely little poem for this time of the year! Wish I could be up there to see all the fall color!
My Granny (age 99 and born in the mountains of Tennessee) quotes that poem! She said her mama taught it to her when she was a little girl. I’ve always loved it!
When my mother had a Bridge Luncheon one Christmas. Someone recited a beautiful poem. Then several other recited poems. It wasn’t planned. I so enjoyed it.They said they learned them in high school. My mother graduated in 1936. Wish I had written down the titles. Wish we had done more of that when I was in school.
Tipper,
Here we go again…trying to comment amid operator error!
I love the poem/song and thanks to you and Kerry in GA, we all will know it and some of it’s history.
We had an amazing day yesterday. The poem/song describes our day almost to a T….LOL
I loved all the “deviled egg” comments and will likely try some of the variations that were posted. Curry sounds interesting, as well as teenytiny chopped onions…I might wait until I could get a mild Viadaia or light sweet onion!
Please folks I am not making fun, but the ones that did not like vinegar but did add sweet pickle juice or relish did get a fair amount of vinegar…LOL Sorry people the “devil jumped up and made me do it!”
Thanks Tipper,
PS…It is very chilly and windy here today…the leaves are playing in the meadow…the birds and squirrels are in the feeders and the living room is warm…not from a heater but from all that yelling at the TV !!! Tennessee is in a battle with South Carolina…and the “armchair quarterback” is heated up! LOL
Just lovely!
Tipper: I was lucky to know about this lovely poem. Probably from my mother or a wonderful elementary teacher at Hayesville Elementary School. Now those leaves cover the fading flowers in the GARDENS OF EVA! I am going to head out there right now and mow them away instead of watching that BIG GAME @ UT!!!
Eva Nell
Oh, Tipper, I love that lovely poem/song. I miss the beautiful panorama of rich color, but even here in 80 degree heat here in Fla….leaves are falling from pecan trees in my back yard! The poem takes me back to Tennessee.
I never heard the third verse. My mother learned the first two verses of this song as a very little girl, and taught it to me when I was a very little girl. I recall riding my 20″ bicycle up and down the street, singing this song over and over, and imagining teaching it to my own little girl one day.
That was not to be. But when my mother was on her deathbed and slipping away, I sang it to her in hopes it would somehow bring her mind to a time of her very happy childhood, and help her feel safe and at peace on her journey.
We were in Virginia when our first son was born in the middle of an incredible Indian Summer – all the locals said so. After growing up in far south Texas, that was my first time to see leaves turn and I was in awe – it felt like a blessing for my son.
Here in Central Texas we have pockets of color, mostly from the oaks: Red oak, Spanish oak, and post oak which turn an amazing range of hues of reds and golds. The live oaks stay green adding a lush background for the oaks’ color palates of burgundies, umbers, russets, and more. A few silver maples have been planted around but they don’t take too kindly to the local soil and weather so only put on a show if someone is coddling them.
The first frost is due sometime in the next month and the recent showers make me hopeful we will enjoy the colors this year. In the meantime we have migrating songbirds and butterflies decorating out skies – not as many as usual but enough to remind us that fall is on the way.
Tipper,
A couple years ago I gave you a
little blue booklet my mama made.
That poem was in her collection,
but I don’t have one here to tell
you what page it’s on.
“Come little leaves” is so touching.
…Ken
Loved it!!
Wonderful verses Tipper, thank you for sharing.
Oh, Tipper, thank you. This will be my poem of the week for my little first graders. They will love listening and illustrating those perfect words of Fall. And learning to and recite a poem to remember forever. (Old School is best.)
Lovely,thanks,tipper.I will asMother if she has every heard this one.
Thank you Tipper and Kerry in GA! It is such a sweet poem and now is the time for it as the leaves are now coming over to play.
Love the poem. I kept a copy in my file. When I retired and Moved back to Sevierville TN, I wanted a house with lots of trees. I got one, and now a spend several days week blowing and mowing and mulching leaves. I love Leaves!!
It not only is beautiful, but exactly how autumn starts
Tipper,
I love poems especially ones that speak of the wind. This is great. This one takes me away. You are the best!