by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928)
The subalterns
Language: English
"Poor wanderer," said the leaden sky, "I fain would lighten thee, But there are laws in force on high Which say it must not be." -- "I would not freeze thee, shorn one," cried The North, "knew I but how To warm my breath, to slack my stride; But I am ruled as thou." -- "To-morrow I attack thee, wight," Said Sickness. "Yet I swear I bear thy little ark no spite, But am bid enter there." -- "Come hither, Son," I heard Death say; "I did not will a grave Should end thy pilgrimage to-day, But I, too, am a slave!" We smiled upon each other then, And life to me had less Of that fell look it wore ere when They owned their passiveness.
First published in Current Literature, 1902
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Authorship:
- by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928), "The subalterns" [author's text checked 1 time 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 Gerald Finzi (1901 - 1956), "The subalterns", 1921 [ voice and string quartet ], from The Mound, no. 2, fragment [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-19
Line count: 20
Word count: 123