COME LITTLE LEAVES
by George Cooper
"Come, little leaves" said the wind one day,
"Come over the meadows with me, and play;
Put on your dresses of red and gold;
Summer is gone, and the days grow cold."
Soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call,
Down they came fluttering, one and all;
Over the brown fields they danced and flew,
Singing the soft little songs they knew.
"Cricket, good-bye, we've been friends so long;
Little brook, sing us your farewell song-
Say you're sorry to see us go;
Ah! you are sorry, right well we know.
"Dear little lambs, in your fleecy fold,
Mother will keep you from harm and cold;
Fondly we've watched you in vale and glade;
Say, will you dream of our loving shade?"
Dancing and whirling the little leaves went;
Winter had called them and they were content-
Soon fast asleep in their earthly beds,
The snow laid a soft mantle over their heads.
From Child's Calendar Beautiful, compiled by Rebecca Katharine Beeson
First Year, October
The orange, italicized verses (verses 3 and 4) were not included in the book, but came from this online site.
While researching the poem online, I found this lovely blog post about it over at sugarfused. Take a few moments to read the comments and see how many people remember their aunts, grandmothers, and great grandparents reciting this poem to them. It's very touching to see how much it means to people to share memorized poetry with their loved ones. Are you including poetry memorization in your homeschool? I hope so.
This one is also a song- you can hear the midi file at this site.
And if you like this poem, you may wish to look at some of our other poetry posts- click on the poetry label below.
And if you appreciate this post...would you consider signing up for swagbucks with our referral link?
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I am 55 years old, and I remember being sung to sleep with this song by my mother, father, grandmother, sister and aunt's when I was a child. I am ecstatic to have located the lyric/poem and the information regarding it's origin so easily here at your site. Thank you for coloring my memories.
ReplyDeleteThank-you for sharing your memories with us!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother taught me this poem when I was 5 (1966). She had learned it when she was little and was 76 at the time she taught me. I embroidered a wallhanging with this on for my mom as a tribute to my grandmother. Childhood memories are such wonderful things.
ReplyDeleteI learned this poem as a song from my mother more than 70 years ago. Her version varied a little from the one posted. The song had a chorus: Winter is coming, ho, ho, ho ho, Winter is coming, with ice and snow. Winter is coming, ho, ho, ho ho, Winter is coming and we must go.
ReplyDeleteThen the final verse. Does anyone else remember this verson?
As a young girl, my mother taught me this song and we would sing it and sing it as we did chores around the house.
ReplyDeleteMy mother passed away May 1st and I find myself singing this song and feeling very close to her.
My thoughts were on my mama this morning when this little song popped into my head. It was almost as if she were saying,"Daughter, do you remember me teaching this to you when you were a little girl?" "Yes, Mama, I do!" She and I sang it a lot. She died in 2005 at the age of 99 1/2 years. She still had a sharp mind and clear memory.
ReplyDeleteThank you for publishing this little song. I couldn't remember the exact words of the last verse.
My thoughts were on my mama this morning when this little song popped into my head. It was almost as if she were saying,"Daughter, do you remember me teaching this to you when you were a little girl?" She and I sang it a lot.
ReplyDeleteShe died in 2005 at the age of 99 1/2 years. She still had a sharp mind and clear memory.
Thank you for publishing this little song. I couldn't remember the
exact words of the last verse.
My thoughts were on my mama this morning and this little song popped into my head. It was almost as if she were saying,"Daughter, do you remember me teaching this to you when you were a little girl?" "Yes, Mama, I do!" She and I sang it a lot.
ReplyDeleteShe died in 2005 at the age of 99 1/2 years. She still had a sharp mind and clear memory.
Thank you for publishing this little song. I couldn't remember the exact words of the last verse.
I am 61 years old and lost my mother just six months ago at age 94. This is the first year I will not hear her saying this poem to me that her mother taught her! It is surprising and comforting that so many others know this poem.
ReplyDeleteI googled this poem after having posted about it n my blog. Thank you for the information.
ReplyDeletehttp://dogdaisychains.blogspot.com/
My Auntie has just sent this link on the anniversary of my Grandmothers death...she would sing this to me, just reading this song has brought back all of the wonderful memories of my childhood with her. It's amazing to know that so many other people had the same such memories and that I was truelly blessed as a child.
ReplyDeleteI am so pleasantly surprised and moved by such a common bond we share in having learned this poem at a young age from a parent or grandparent. My grandfather taught it to me before I started school in 1957. When he passed in 1961, not a Fall season went by with out my mother (his daughter)reciting the poem to me. Even in adulthood, on the first fall day either she or I would make a phone call and recite it to each other. I've been reciting it alone since 2006 when she passed, but like the rest of you, I feel closer to her and my grandfather each Autumn on that one day that makes you feel like fall is making its way into our lives and out pops the poem!
ReplyDeleteMy mother's mother sang it to us, and it came back to me this morning when the first few oak-leaves sailed through the sky onto the lawn. My husband and I are hoping to become grandparents in the next few months. If we are so lucky, our grandchildren will learn this song as I did, from their grandmother.
ReplyDeleteI have been in love with the poem "come little leaves for such a long time . lately thinking about it I am so pleased to find it here
ReplyDeleteI awoke this morning with the sound of my mother's voice singing this to me. I, too, was taught this song in the fifties by my dear mother. What a treasure to find it online and so many others who have sweet memories of it like me.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were walking in the woods enjoying the Autumn day as I began to recite the poem. He had never heard it and I got to share how my mother had taught it to us when we were young and she would always recite it each year as the leaves began to turn and fall. She has now passed but I will always have those memories. So glad I was able to find this site.
ReplyDeleteI just lost my mom to Parkinson's Disease at 87 yrs. old one month ago. One month before that she lost the ability to talk, but two things we said back and forth to each other one day when she could sort of mouth the words back then were "I love you too" after I told her I loved her, and then I whispered in her ear "come little leaves said the wind one day" into her ear and she retorted as best she could "come over the meadows with me and play". The wind was blowing the leaves all around outside her window at the nursing home. I am so lucky to have had her say it to me as a child, and over the years when fall came, and then go back to it during her last weeks. I couldn't remember it all, so thanks for posting it. I will treasure it forever. All who posted have helped me with my grief, so thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh, Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your loss, but so glad you had these special moments to share.
Thank-you for sharing them with us, too.
My grandmother used to read me this little poem as a child. I fondly remembered most of the words and googled the poem on your website.
ReplyDeleteNow, me and my baby girl enjoy "Come Little Leaves" everynight before she goes to bed.
My mother recited this poem often to me throughout my life. She learned it as a child in a glee club she belonged to. She and her mother sang in glee clubs and choirs for many years through the depression and beyond. She only sang the first two verses. I never knew there were others. She passed away a few years ago at the age of 85. I am doing a cross stitch and was glad to find the words again. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI was so surprised to find this poem when I googled it. I was SURE it would be a wild goose chase. Thank you so much. I was remembering this poem today as the leaves were falling like a heavy rain storm from our and our neighbors' giant oak trees where the trees were left as the houses went up.
ReplyDeleteMother taught me this poem when I was pre-school and I got lots of attention from people when I recited it. This was back around 1950. As I was remembering it, I couldn't quite remember the last verse. Am so glad I didn't have to go to the library.
However when I learned it, the last line was,"For the days grow short and the nights grow cold." Loved all the comments some of which brought tears to my eyes. Thank God for loving moms and all the memories they leave us.
My grandma's been gone for 13 years now, but I still remember all the times she would quote this poem to me and my kids. It's so wonderful to read the whole thing. Never knew it was a song!
ReplyDelete