Summary

At midday, the speaker stands in a cove of trees. She calls the still space beneath the browning oaks a "cathedral," and it causes her to observe her surroundings with a special attention. She looks up, and her mouth opens in awe as she watches leaves fall from the trees. The changing colors, falling foliage, and rain all speak to "the tug of autumn" (5).

In the second stanza, the speaker shares her personal intentions: to be "wiser, calmer, / more at home in the world" (7-8). She wishes to dedicate herself to the subtle creativity of relationships, which consist of actions like merging, lingering, bearing witness, and offering praise. In essence, the speaker wishes to be a vessel for the things that, in turn, support her relationships.

Analysis

"The Tug of Autumn" is structured in two stanzas that illustrate the seasonal changes of nature and...