THE SEPTEMBER GALE

This tremendous hurricane occurred on the 23d of September, 1815.
I remember it well, being then seven years old. A full account of
it was published, I think, in the records of the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences. Some of my recollections are given in The
Seasons, an article to be found in a book of mine entitled Pages
from an Old Volume of Life.

I'M not a chicken; I have seen
Full many a chill September,
And though I was a youngster then,
That gale I well remember;
The day before, my kite-string snapped,
And I, my kite pursuing,
The wind whisked off my palm-leaf hat;
For me two storms were brewing!

It came as quarrels sometimes do,
When married folks get clashing;
There was a heavy sigh or two,
Before the fire was flashing,--
A little stir among the clouds,
Before they rent asunder,--
A little rocking of the trees,
And then came on the thunder.

Lord! how the ponds and rivers boiled!
They seemed like bursting craters!