Wessex Poems and Other Verses by Thomas Hardy
page 94 of 106 (88%)
page 94 of 106 (88%)
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As fitting one flesh to be made.
The wedding-day dawned and the morning drew on; The couple stood bridegroom and bride; The evening was passed, and when midnight had gone The folks horned out, "God save the King," and anon The two home-along gloomily hied. The lover Tim Tankens mourned heart-sick and drear To be thus of his darling deprived: He roamed in the dark ath'art field, mound, and mere, And, a'most without knowing it, found himself near The house of the tranter, and now of his Dear, Where the lantern-light showed 'em arrived. The bride sought her cham'er so calm and so pale That a Northern had thought her resigned; But to eyes that had seen her in tide-times of weal, Like the white cloud o' smoke, the red battle-field's vail, That look spak' of havoc behind. The bridegroom yet laitered a beaker to drain, Then reeled to the linhay for more, When the candle-snoff kindled some chaff from his grain - Flames spread, and red vlankers, wi' might and wi' main, And round beams, thatch, and chimley-tun roar. Young Tim away yond, rafted up by the light, Through brimble and underwood tears, Till he comes to the orchet, when crooping thereright |
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