Classic and Contemporary Poetry
DEPARTURE, by THOMAS HARDY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: While the far farewell music thins and fails Last Line: Bondslave to realms, but circle earth and seas?' Subject(s): Boer War; South African War | ||||||||
(Southampton Docks: October 1899) WHILE the far farewell music thins and fails, And the broad bottoms rip the bearing brine - All smalling slowly to the gray sea-line - And each significant red smoke-shaft pales, Keen sense of severance everywhere prevails, Which shapes the late long tramp of mounting men To seeming words that ask and ask again: 'How long, O striving Teutons, Slavs, and Gaels Must your wroth reasonings trade on lives like these, That are as puppets in a playing hand? - When shall the saner softer polities Whereof we dream, have sway in each proud land And patriotism, grown Godlike, scorn to stand Bondslave to realms, but circle earth and seas?' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A WIFE IN LONDON by THOMAS HARDY THE SOULS OF THE SLAIN by THOMAS HARDY RANK AND FILE by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON AT THE WAR OFFICE, LONDON by THOMAS HARDY SONG OF THE SOLDIERS' WIVES AND SWEETHEARTS by THOMAS HARDY THE COLONEL'S SOLILOQUY by THOMAS HARDY THE GOING OF THE BATTERY; WIVES' LAMENTS by THOMAS HARDY AND THERE WAS A GREAT CALM' by THOMAS HARDY |
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