A wild and windy Autumn day. The leaves are falling in earnest. Am reminded of Shelley’s words: O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being… The wind is related to the breath in many of the wisdom traditions, and the breath to the Spirit or the life force within us. In the poem,  the wind moves Shelley to reflect on his inner self, and see parallels between his life and that of the nature around him.

Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is:
What if my leaves are falling like its own!

The tumult of thy mighty harmonies  Will take from both a deep, autumnal tone,
Sweet though in sadness. Be thou, Spirit fierce, My spirit! Be thou me, impetuous one!

Drive my dead thoughts over the universe
Like withered leaves to quicken a new birth!
And, by the incantation of this verse,

Scatter, as from an unextinguished hearth Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!
Be through my lips to unawakened Earth

The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?