Show's over, folks. And didn't October do A bang-up job? Crisp breezes, full-throated cries Of migrating geese, low-floating coral moon.
-- The Speaker (Lines 1-3)

Importance: In the opening lines of the poem, the speaker announces the end of October's splendor in a colloquial and conversational voice, like that of an emcee. The wry and nostalgic tone expresses longing but is not overly sentimental. The speaker goes on to list out various sensory details related to October, evoking autumn's textures and sounds.

Did I love it enough, the full-throttle foliage, While it lasted? Was I dazzled?
-- The Speaker (Lines 5-6)

Importance: The speaker's tone becomes pensive, reflective, and slightly regretful. It is a matter of how carefully the speaker inhabits the moment. Looking back, the speaker is aware of the transience of seasonal beauty.

The bees Have up and quit their last-ditch flights of forage And gone to shiver in their winter clusters. Field mice hit the barns, big squirrels gorge...
-- The Speaker (Lines 6-10)