“Oh hushed October morning mild, Thy leaves have ripened to the fall; Tomorrow’s wind if it be wild, should waste them all” wrote poet Robert Frost in his poem “October.” Frost’s poems often featured autumn imagery – a tribute to his farmer profession and love of New England.

A prolific poet, Frost served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1958-1959. The Library’s Poetry Web site provides a history of the position, including a timeline of all past poets laureate and information on the current title holder, Donald Hall, who kicks of the Library’s literary season this month. For a full list of events – including poetry readings, lectures and concerts, visit The Library Today.

A poet in her own right, in 1893 Helen Keller wrote “with the eyes of my soul” a poem titled “Autumn” that she inscribed to Alexander Graham Bell, a long-time teacher and advocate of the deaf. Bell was instrumental in facilitating Keller’s education with Annie Sullivan, the innovative teacher who taught the young deaf and blind girl to communicate. A search in the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog turns up several images of Keller and her teacher.