The Voice – Thomas Hardy

~ Suzy Hazelwood

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Woman much missed, how you call to me, call to me,
Saying that now you are not as you were
When you had changed from the one who was all to me,
But as at first, when our day was fair.

 Can it be you that I hear? Let me view you, then,
Standing as when I drew near to the town
Where you would wait for me: yes, as I knew you then,
Even to the original air-blue gown!

 Or is it only the breeze, in its listlessness
Travelling across the wet mead to me here,
You being ever dissolved to wan wistlessness,
Heard no more again far or near?

 Thus I; faltering forward,
Leaves around me falling,
Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward,
And the woman calling.

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Thomashardy_restored

Thomas Hardy
Read more of his poetry

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Picture ➡ Beauty and Pride

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18 thoughts on “The Voice – Thomas Hardy”

  2. I was introduced to Hardy as a freshman in college. It was during a summer session and I had to read 8 books of English literature in 8 weeks. So I didn’t get much out of any of them……..except to pass the course. lol

    Now I have read many of his books….but none of his poetry.
    Makes me want to go back and reread. 🙂

    1. The way literature is introduced to children and young adults, it’s surprising anyone is left with an interest in it at all! Eight books in eight weeks is crazy, no-one can appreciate any written work at that speed, and some of Thomas Hardy’s novels are small print in very big books! I do remember a book with his poetry in, but I just wasn’t into that kind of poetry in my teenage years.

      I’m very pleased it’s made you interested again, because that’s the effect finding this had on me too. I wasn’t sure though whether it was just me that connected to it – but it seems I’m not alone!! 😀

      1. We never know where or when one of our entries will trigger someone else to do or write something. But I guess that is true with whatever we do in life.

        I must tread carefully. 🙂

    1. Yes, I was very pleased to find this poem this morning, but to find the video with it was wonderful too, I was overjoyed! That’s a man who knows how to read poetry!! I’m glad you liked it too! 😀

  5. What a lovely poem, and so nice to hear it read in a voice with culture, the way people in the past would have heard it.

    1. Yes it is, I only just found it this morning on a website called Poeticious, and the video was shared on the same page as the poem, so I didn’t need to do the usual search. I often find though, the videos are a real disappointment, but this one is really how I like to hear poetry read, spoken as a true English actor! Glad you liked it too! 😀

    1. I only found it this morning, and to think I really hated Thomas Hardy when I was a teenager at school, made to read his books for English! I feel very guilty today, and I’m really pleased you like it! 😀

    1. A very well spoken gentleman! 🙂 I struggle to find poetry on You Tube that’s spoken how I like to hear it, and this one sounded so perfect! The snow is ‘melting’ very slowly – too slow!! 😀

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