Thomas Hardy Poem...

[sildil]

Was just posting a reply to a friend's comment and remembered this lovely poem and thought it deserved a wider audience:


The Ruined Maid - a poem by Thomas Hardy

"O 'Melia, my dear, this does everything crown!
Who could have supposed I should meet you in Town?
And whence such fair garments, such prosperi-ty?"
"O didn't you know I'd been ruined?" said she.

"You left us in tatters, without shoes or socks,
Tired of digging potatoes, and spudding up docks;
And now you've gay bracelets and bright feathers three!"
"Yes: that's how we dress when we're ruined," said she.

-"At home in the barton you said 'thee' and 'thou,'
And 'thik oon,' and 'theäs oon,' and 't'other'; but now
Your talking quite fits 'ee for high compa-ny!"
"Some polish is gained with one's ruin," said she.

"Your hands were like paws then, your face blue and bleak
But now I'm bewitched by your delicate cheek,
And your little gloves fit as on any la-dy!"
"We never do work when we're ruined," said she.

"You used to call home-life a hag-ridden dream,
And you'd sigh, and you'd sock; but at present you seem
To know not of megrims or melancho-ly!"
"True. One's pretty lively when ruined," said she.

"I wish I had feathers, a fine sweeping gown,
And a delicate face, and could strut about Town!"
"My dear a raw country girl, such as you be,
Cannot quite expect that. You ain't ruined," said she.

Comments

[veetvoojagig.livejournal.com]

I've loved that poem for a long time, but had almost forgotten it. Thanks!

[nienna-weeper.livejournal.com]

*worships Thomas Hardy*

<3

[splonders.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that,it revises my opinion of Hardy a wee bit,just could not get on with his work,my fault,reading too quickly as usual.May I in turn give you one verse of Tom Lehrer:
Xmas time is here,by golly,
Disapproval would be folly;
Deck the hall with lumps of holly,
Fill the cup and don't say when;
Kill the turkeys,ducks and chickens,
Mix the punch,drag out the Dickens,
Even tho' the prospect sickens,
Brother,here we go again.
Happy New Year!

[sildil]

Yeah it's a good one, Thomas Hardy is a much better poet than novelist in my opinion!

[sildil]

Hmmmm yes, I prefer his poems to his novels, though I do like them. It seems when he was restricting himself to a poem he managed not to be quiet so verbose. I love this one, it's one of my favourites. xxx

[sildil]

Ooooh Tom Lehrer, I love his stuff!

Yeah I don't like his novels much, they are OK, but a bit verbose and I get tired of all the 'near misses' and misunderstandings/twists. His poems however are MUCH better. This is another favourite...

Afterwards

When the Present has latched its postern behind my tremulous stay,
And the May month flaps its glad green leaves like wings,
Delicate-filmed as new-spun silk, will the neighbours say,
"He was a man who used to notice such things"?

If it be in the dusk when, like an eyelid's soundless blink,
The dewfall-hawk comes crossing the shades to alight
Upon the wind-warped upland thorn, a gazer may think,
"To him this must have been a familiar sight.

If I pass during some nocturnal blackness, mothy and warm,
When the hedgehog travels furtively over the lawn,
One may say, "He strove that such innocent creatures should come to no harm,
But he could do little for them; and now he is gone."

If, when hearing that I have been stilled at last, they stand at the door,
Watching the full-starred heavens that winter sees,
Will this thought rise on those who will meet my face no more,
"He was one who had an eye for such mysteries"?

And will any say when my bell of quittance is heard in the gloom,
And a crossing breeze cuts a pause in its outrollings,
Till they rise again, as they were a new bell's boom,
"He hears it not now, but used to notice such things"?