the blanket of new snow has kept the fallen leaves;
the scattered pages have been swept; the fallen leaves

where once my heart stood as an oak dressed all in green
winter holds again, sere, wind-wrecked; the fallen leaves

my manuscript has come unbound; how my mind reels!
memory holds me in contempt, the fallen leaves

there is no sin nor sinner when her eye has seen
souls shed them before her, exempt, the fallen leaves

the devil on my shoulder takes his leave of me
there’s nothing left in here to tempt; the fallen leaves

so scatter yarrow, tell a fortune, pour out tea;
you’ll find Niamh within, I expect, the fallen leaves