Poems of the Past and the Present by Thomas Hardy
page 39 of 148 (26%)
page 39 of 148 (26%)
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Perplexed, or in pain.
And, heeding, it awed me to gather That Nature herself there Was breathing in aerie accents, With dirgeful refrain, Weary plaint that Mankind, in these late days, Had grieved her by holding Her ancient high fame of perfection In doubt and disdain . . . - "I had not proposed me a Creature (She soughed) so excelling All else of my kingdom in compass And brightness of brain "As to read my defects with a god-glance, Uncover each vestige Of old inadvertence, annunciate Each flaw and each stain! "My purpose went not to develop Such insight in Earthland; Such potent appraisements affront me, And sadden my reign! "Why loosened I olden control here To mechanize skywards, Undeeming great scope could outshape in |
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