Time & Brevity
Tragedian to Tragedienne
From Human Shows, Far Phantasies, Songs and Trifles (1925)
Shall I leave you behind me
When I play
In earnest what we’ve played in mock to-day?
Why, yes; most surely shall I
Leave you behind
In yet full orbit, when my years unwind.
I may creep off in the night-time,
And none know
Till comes the morning, bringing news ’tis so.
Will you then turn for a moment
White or red,
Recall those spells of ours; things done, things said?
Aye, those adventurous doings
And those days
Of stress, when I’d the blame and you the praise?
Still you will meet adventure —
None knows what —
Still you will go on changing: I shall not.
Still take a call at the mummings
Daily or nightly,
Yielding to custom, calmly, gloomily, brightly.
Last, you will flag, and finish
Your masquings too:
Yes: end them: I not there to succour you.
Cite this poem
MLA
Hardy, Thomas. “Tragedian to Tragedienne.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/hardy/662/.
Chicago
Hardy, Thomas. “Tragedian to Tragedienne.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/hardy/662/.
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