| Walter Murdoch (1874–1970). The Oxford Book of Australasian Verse. 1918. |
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| 54. October in New Zealand |
| | | By Jessie Mackay |
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| O JUNE has her diamonds, her diamonds of sheen, | |
| Meet for a queen’s neck, if Death had e’er a queen! | |
| June has her blue days, jewels of delight, | |
| Set in the ivory of Alp-land white,— | |
| But October, October’s the lady o’ the year! | 5 |
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| O January’s garland is redder than the rose, | |
| And the wine-red ruby of January glows | |
| All the way to madness and half the way to sin, | |
| When sleep is in the poppy and fire is in the whin! | |
| But October, October’s the lady o’ the year! | 10 |
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| October will ride in a mantle o’ the vair, | |
| With the flower o’ the quince in her dew-wet hair; | |
| October will ride to the gates of the day, | |
| With the bluebells ringing on her maiden way;— | |
| For October, October’s the lady o’ the year! | 15 |
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