Poems of War: 'In Time of 'The Breaking of Nations'' & 'The Man He Killed' by Thomas Hardy (1915)

Poetry

In Time of “The Breaking of Nations”

Thomas Hardy (1915)

I Only a man harrowing clods In a slow silent walk With an old horse that stumbles and nods Half asleep as they stalk. II Only a thin smoke without flame From the heaps of couch-grass; Yet this will go onward the same Though Dynasties pass. III Yonder a maid and her wight Come whispering by: War’s annals will cloud into night Ere their story die.

The Man He Killed

from “The Dynasts” by Thomas Hardy (1915)

“Had he and I but met By some old ancient inn, We should have sat us down to wet Right many a nipperkin! “But ranged as infantry, And staring face to face, I shot at him as he at me, And killed him in his place. “I shot him dead because— Because he was my foe, Just so: my foe of course he was; That’s clear enough; although “He thought he’d ’list, perhaps, Off-hand like—just as I— Was out of work—had sold his traps— No other reason why. “Yes; quaint and curious war is! You shoot a fellow down You’d treat, if met where any bar is, Or help to half-a-crown.”


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