 | Collected poems of Thomas Hardy |  |
THE MAN WITH A PAST
There was merry-making
When the first dart fell
As a heralding,—
Till grinned the fully bared thing,
And froze like a spell—
Like a spell.
When the first dart fell
As a heralding,—
Till grinned the fully bared thing,
And froze like a spell—
Like a spell.
Innocent was she,
Innocent was I,
Too simple we!
Before us we did not see,
Nearing, aught wry—
Aught wry!
Innocent was I,
Too simple we!
Before us we did not see,
Nearing, aught wry—
Aught wry!
I can tell it not now,
It was long ago;
And such things cow;
But that is why and how
Two lives were so—
Were so.
It was long ago;
And such things cow;
But that is why and how
Two lives were so—
Were so.
Yes, the years matured,
And the blows were three
That time ensured
On her, which she dumbly endured;
And one on me—
One on me.
And the blows were three
That time ensured
On her, which she dumbly endured;
And one on me—
One on me.
| Collected poems of Thomas Hardy | |