A sudden chill has kissed the autumn night,
And painted silver on the fallen red.
Each maple leaf now holds a coat of white,
A fragile lace upon its veiny bed.
The sun ascends, yet cannot melt away,
The frozen touch that covers all the ground,
A sparkling cloak that greets the dawn of day,
Where quiet beauty can surely be found.
The edges glint, the crystal clings with might,
A final, cold embrace before the thaw,
The hoarfrost shines in pale and fleeting light,
A masterpiece observed in winter’s raw And silent promise, beautiful and deep,
While crimson sleeps beneath the frost’s soft keep.
