Autumn arrives here as a season of rosy cheeks and sudden hunger. The speaker describes children whose red noses and faces remind her of orchard places full of apples and rows of tomatoes, then affectionately teases a “hardened sinner” — a child who cannot wait for dinner and demands three helpings of hot roast mutton. The tone is warm and playful, not scolding: cold weather makes everyone lively and ready to eat. In the final lines, the speaker turns to action, calling for a ball and racket, a cozy winter jacket with bear-skin lining, and a run outside while the sun still shines. The overall mood is cheerful and inviting, mixing the crispness of autumn with comfort, appetite, and the joy of playing together before winter settles in.
Autumn Song — Summary
Now’s the time when children’s noses All become as red as roses And the colour of their faces Makes me think of orchard places Where the juicy apples grow And tomatoes in a row.
And to-day the hardened sinner Never could be late for dinner, But will jump up to the table Just as soon as he is able, Ask for three times hot roast mutton-- Oh! the shocking little glutton.
Come then, find your ball and racket, Pop into your winter jacket, With the lovely bear-skin lining. While the sun is brightly shining, Let us run and play together And just love the autumn weather.