Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Tuesday Poem - and we're still Hardying on...

Seeing the Moon Rise

We used to go to Froom-hill Barrow
    To see the round moon rise
    Into the heath-rimmed skies,
Trudging thither by plough and harrow
Up the pathway, steep and narrow,
    Singing a song.
Now we do not go there. Why?
   Zest burns not so high!

Latterly we've only conned her
    With a passing glance
    From wondow or door by chance,
Hoping to go again, high yonder,
As we used, and gaze, and ponder,
    Singing a song.
Thitherward we do not go:
    Feet once quick are slow!

August, 1927.

Thomas Hardy, The Complete Poems,  Macmillan, 1976.

One of the exercises recommended as you age, is to make a list of those things you used to do which you no longer do - and think why you've given them up. At the age of 87 as Hardy was when he wrote this poem, his trudging days were over, but it's heartwarming to think of him still examining his life and still moon-watching, even if only by chance.

Moon-watchers, star-gazers and poem-hunters - it's Tuesday! Over at the Tuesday poetry blog you can read Pascale Petit's haunting poem, brought to you this week by Kathleen James. From the hub you can travel to other cities and other poems on the cyber-pathway, neither narrow nor steep. Have a lyrical week!


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