 | Collected poems of Thomas Hardy |  |
FARMER DUNMAN'S FUNERAL
“Bury me on a Sunday,”
He said; “so as to see
Poor folk there. 'Tis their one day
To spare for following me.”
He said; “so as to see
Poor folk there. 'Tis their one day
To spare for following me.”
With forethought of that Sunday,
He wrote, while he was well,
On ten rum-bottles one day,
“Drink for my funeral.”
He wrote, while he was well,
On ten rum-bottles one day,
“Drink for my funeral.”
They buried him on a Sunday,
That folk should not be balked
His wish, as 'twas their one day:
And forty couple walked.
That folk should not be balked
His wish, as 'twas their one day:
And forty couple walked.
They said: “To have it Sunday
Was always his concern;
His meaning being that one day
He'd do us a good turn.
Was always his concern;
His meaning being that one day
He'd do us a good turn.
“We must, had it been Monday,
Have got it over soon,
But now we gain, being Sunday,
A jolly afternoon.”
Have got it over soon,
But now we gain, being Sunday,
A jolly afternoon.”
| Collected poems of Thomas Hardy | |