Question

Write the summary of the poem: Now the Leaves are Falling Fast

Hint:

To summarize this poem, focus on the central metaphor (falling leaves = death) and the overall mood. Note the progression from a bleak depiction of life and death to the ambiguous, slightly hopeful ending.

Answer 1

"Now the Leaves are Falling Fast" by W. H. Auden is a poem about mortality, disillusionment, and the decay of human life. The falling leaves are a metaphor for the end of life, suggesting that death is an inevitable and continuous process. The poem paints a bleak picture of human existence, where people are lonely ("prams go rolling on"), aspirations go unfulfilled, and death (personified by "whispering neighbours") plucks us from our real delights. Auden suggests that life is full of frustrations and the cold reality of death is always present. However, the poem ends on a faintly hopeful note, with the image of a "nightingale" being dumb and an "angel" not coming, yet travellers in their last distress might still see the "waterfall" that could bless them. This suggests a possibility of redemption or peace even in the face of death.