October

As discussed in May, there is a reference on page 168 (War – The End of An Era) to a poem of Tom’s:

Marjory had large numbers of private pupils by day, and regular evening classes for foreign students at the Technical School, and Tom was in good spirits. At the time of the Munich crisis (October 1938), one of his poems appeared in the Sunday Observer much to his and our pleasure. It was the only time in the lives of most of his children that the suggestion he was a poet actually seemed true.

The poem was called ‘October’ and appeared on page 18 of the 30th October edition of the Observer.

Oh! that men were as the trees are, with reach profound and high,
And intimate as these are alike with earth and sky!
We men in our October grow dull and tame and tired:
The trees stand not more sober but aflame, a race inspired.

They relinquish their leaves , they are giving all in these autumn days,
Their roots reach down to the living source of all life that says,
From depths unfathomed by reason: “Surrender your store and trust –
You shall receive in season new leaf, new life from the dust.”