Achille Fréchette: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Autumn Song

Achille Fréchette

“Autumn Song” as printed in Songs of French Canada (1909).

Achille Fréchette: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1909 · historical text
Public domainFolk songCanadian song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from Songs of French Canada, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Away, ye vain numberless shadows, unsplendid,

Unperfumed, uncoloured, 'mid which my life wended!

Now the gloom of my dream is illumed by her beauty,

Her heart-stirring beauty.

Verse 2

'Neath murky grey skies trailed my heavy-foot hours,

On into the bleakness where evening lowers;

To my travail she came with the cheer of her joyance,

Her spirit and joyance.

Verse 3

Fruits fallen, nests vacant, and meadows in stubble,

My path ever hardened by cold airs above;

Oh! the long arid days I went lonely in trouble,

Till the thirst of my heart was allayed by her love,

The wine of her love.

Verse 4

Late flowers, breathe fragrance! O branches rejoicing

With birds that again come alighting in bliss.

Dear creatures, their anthems a thousand times voicing

My joy that she blesses my lips with her kiss,

Her lips and her kiss!

Credits

Written by Achille Fréchette

Words by Achille Fréchette. Historical text published in Songs of French Canada (1909); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

Songs of French Canada (1909), “Autumn Song”

The 1909 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author or translator died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; other entries are held.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-25. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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