Time & Brevity

He inadvertently cures his Love-pains

by Thomas Hardy 1840–1928

From Human Shows, Far Phantasies, Songs and Trifles (1925)

Time & Brevity

I said: “o let me sing the praise
Of her who sweetly racks my days, —
Her I adore;
Her lips, her eyes, her moods, her ways!”

In miseries of pulse and pang
I strung my harp, and straightway sang
As none before: —
To wondrous words my quavers rang!

Thus I let heartaches lilt my verse,
Which suaged and soothed, and made disperse
The smarts I bore
To quiet like a sepulchre’s.

But, eased, the days that thrilled ere then
Lost value; and I ask, O when,
And how, restore
Those old sweet agonies again!

✦ ✦ ✦

(Song)

MLA

Hardy, Thomas. “He inadvertently cures his Love-pains.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/hardy/628/.

Chicago

Hardy, Thomas. “He inadvertently cures his Love-pains.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/hardy/628/.

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