Additions
July 6, 2023A Thunderstorm in Town
July 6, 2023A Wife in London
December 1899
I
She sits in the tawny vapour
That the Thames-side lanes have uprolled,
Behind whose webby fold-on-fold
Like a waning taper
The street-lamp glimmers cold.
A messenger’s knock cracks smartly,
Flashed news in her hand
Of meaning it dazes to understand
Though shaped so shortly:
He–he has fallen–in the far South Land…
II
‘Tis the morrow; the fog hangs thicker,
The postman nears and goes:
A letter is brought whose lines disclose
By the firelight flicker
His hand, whom the worm now knows:
Fresh–firm–penned in highest feather–
Page-full of his hoped return,
And of home-planned jaunts of brake and burn
In the summer weather,
And of new love that they would learn.
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) was an English novelist and poet. His novels, including "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" and "Jude the Obscure," were known for their depictions of rural life and the struggles of ordinary people. His poetry often explored similar themes and had a strong sense of place.