Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A JINGLE ON THE TIMES, by THOMAS HARDY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A JINGLE ON THE TIMES, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I am a painter
Last Line: December 1914


1

'I AM a painter
Of Earth's pied hue;
What can my pencil
Do for you?'
'- You can do nothing,
Nothing, nothing,
Nations want nothing
That you can do.'

2

'I am a sculptor,
A worker who
Preserves dear features
The tombs enmew.' -
'- Sculpture, sculpture!
More than sculpture
For dear remembrance
Have we to do.'

3

'I am a poet,
And set in view
Life and its secrets
Old and new.' -
'- Poets we read not,
Heed not, feed not,
Men now need not
What they do.'

4

'I'm a musician,
And balm I strew
On the passions people
Are prone unto.' -
'- Music? Passions
Calmed by music?
Nothing but passions
Today will do!'

5

'I am an actor;
The world's strange crew
In long procession
My masques review.'
'- O it's not acting,
Acting, acting
And glassing nature
That's now to do!'

6

'I am an architect;
Once I drew
Glorious buildings,
And built them too.' -
'- That was in peace-time,
Peace-time, peace-time,
Nought but demolishing
Now will do.'

7

'I am a preacher:
I would ensue
Whatsoever things are
Lovely, true.' -
'- Preachers are wordy,
Wordy, wordy;
Prodding's the preaching
We've now to do.'

8

'How shall we ply, then,
Our old mysteries?' -
'- Silly ones! Must we
Show to you
What is the only
Good, artistic,
Cultured, Christian
Thing to do?

9

'To manners, amenities,
Bid we adieu, -
To the old lumber
Of Right and True!
Fighting, smiting,
Running through;
That's now the civilized
Thing to do.'

December 1914





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