Thomas Hardy

Hardy's works take place in Wessex (named after the Anglo-Saxon kingdom which existed in the area). One of his distinctive achievements is to have captured the cultural atmosphere of rural Wessex in the golden epoch that existed just before the coming of the railways and the agricultural and industrial revolutions that were to change the English countryside for ever. His works are often deeply pessimistic and full of bitter irony, in sharp contrast to the prevalent Victorian optimism.

Wagtail and Baby

A baby watched a ford, whereto

A wagtail came for drinking;

A blaring bull went wading through,

The wagtail showed no shrinking.

A stallion splashed his way across,

The birdie nearly sinking;

He gave his plumes a twitch and toss,

And held his own unblinking.

Next saw the baby round the spot

A mongrel slowly slinking;

The wagtail gazed, but faltered not

In dip and sip and prinking.

A perfect gentleman then neared;

The wagtail, in a winking,

With terror rose and disappeared;

The baby fell a-thinking.

2 comments:

Melvyn said...: Listen to Benjamin Britten's perfect setting in this year of his centenary. And then listen to the whole cycle of Winter Words WITH THE TEXTS. And then listen again and again. THEN go on to the Serenade, Nocturne, War Requiem, Holy Sonnets, Proverbs and Songs of Blake etc etc to see what a great composer can do with great poetry. Peter Pears also shows what a great singer can do, but he is an acquired taste.; 1:50 pm
assessor said...: You're right. As a teacher I used to play the Pears'/Britten recording to the kids (8 years old) and after two or three hearings they loved it. Wonderful poetry, wonderful music.; 4:03 pm