by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928)

Only a man harrowing clods
 (Sung text for setting by G. Finzi)
 Matches base text
Language: English 
Only a man harrowing clods
In a slow silent walk
With an old horse that stumbles and nods
Half asleep as they stalk.

Only thin smoke without flame
From the heaps of couch-grass;
Yet this will go onward the same
Though Dynasties pass.

Yonder a maid and her wight
Come whispering by:
War's annals will cloud into night
Ere their story die.
First published in Saturday Review, January, 1916

Composition:

    Set to music by Gerald Finzi (1901 - 1956), "Only a man harrowing clods", 1924, first performed 1990 [ baritone and chamber orchestra ], from Requiem da Camera, no. 3

Text Authorship:

  • by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928), "In Time of 'The Breaking of Nations'"

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 64