Apple Time

APPLE TIME. 

By George Cooper

Come and see the chubby faces 

Peep from under lifted leaves 

Which the noisy breeze displaces 

What a jolly tune it weaves! 

Crimson faces, scarlet faces, 

Faces green, and gold, and brown; 

For a troop of tricksy goblins 

Only last night wandered down, 

In apple-time! 

How the rough old Boughs are tossing 

In the cool and crispy air! 

Do you hear the children crossing 

O'er the meadows, here and there? 

Goblin faces, peeping, hiding 

Seem to greet them every one; 

And the orchard-rows are ringing 

With the frolic and the fun, 

In apple-time! 

Oh, the little hands that dip in 

Baskets shallow, baskets deep, 

Where the Russet and the Pippin 

Mingle in a shining heap! 

Long before the sunset's glory 

Orchard boughs are lone and bare; 

But another golden Autumn 

Sees the goblin faces there, 

In apple-time!