by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928)
On the balcony
Language: English
We shall see her no more On the balcony, Smiling, while hurt, at the roar As of surging sea From the stormy sturdy band Who have doomed her lord's cause, Though she waves her little hand As it were applause. Here will be candidates yet, And candidates wives, Fervid with zeal to set Their ideals on our lives: Here will come market-men On the market-days, Here will clash now and then More such party assays. And the balcony will fill When such times are renewed, And the throng in the street will thrill With to-day's mettled mood; But she will no more stand In the sunshine there, With that wave of her white-gloved hand, And that chestnut hair.
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Roy Buckle (b. 1926), "On the balcony", subtitle: "The rejected member's wife" [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2006-10-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 118