Autumn Leaves poem

Fall is here and the signs are all around us, even here in Texas. I saw that this week’s cover of The New Yorker magazine spoofs the “natural” hues of Vermont’s changing leaves—suggesting they are actually painted on for the tourists. But I love the gold and red hues that appear in the trees as the weather gets cooler. Here’s an older poem that captures this transition beautifully.

Autumn Leaves
by Leland B. Jacobs

1      Green leaves,
2      Yellow leaves,
3      Red leaves, and brown,
ALL   Falling,
ALL   Falling,
ALL   Blanketing the town.
4      Oak leaves,
5      Maple leaves,
6      Apple leaves, and pear,
ALL   Falling,
ALL   Whispering,
ALL   “Autumn’s in the air!”
7      Big leaves,
8      Little leaves,
9      Pointed leaves, and round,
ALL   Falling,
ALL   Nestling,
ALL   Carpeting the ground.

from: Jacobs, Leland B. 1993. Just Around the Corner: Poems about the Seasons. New York: Henry Holt.

*I've suggested a format for reading the poem aloud with a group of 9 or more. Invite 9 volunteers to read single lines (labeled 1 through 9) and then everyone chimes in on the lines marked "ALL." Practice once and then read and perform with gusto. For added impact, add gesturing (falling), whispering, and leaf cut outs or real fall leaves!

*Use this poem in conjunction with Lois Ehlert’s fantastic picture book, Leaf Man (Harcourt, 2005) and take a walk, look for fallen leaves, and create your own leaf people.