Dog days are gone and suddenly
here is a cool, clean, elastic air.
We see birds at their leisure
having raised their families.
Great flocks of young redwings
lift off the fields and the trees.
The willows and poplars lighten.
The common gall is on the goldenrods.
And we gain the sense to do
the duty that lies nearest to us.
—extracted from Thoreau's journals, late August, 1858 and 1860.
