Classic and Contemporary Poetry
NEW YEAR'S EVE, by THOMAS HARDY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: I have finished another year,' said god Last Line: In his unweeting way. Subject(s): Holidays; New Year | ||||||||
'I HAVE finished another year,' said God, 'In grey, green, white, and brown; I have strewn the leaf upon the sod, Sealed up the worm within the clod, And let the last sun down.' 'And what's the good of it?' I said, 'What reasons made you call From formless void this earth we tread, When nine-and-ninety can be read Why nought should be at all? 'Yea, Sire; why shaped you us, "who in This tabernacle groan" - If ever a joy be found herein, Such joy no man had wished to win If he had never known!' Then he: 'My labours - logicless - You may explain; not I: Sense-sealed I have wrought, without a guess That I evolved a Consciousness To ask for reasons why. 'Strange that ephemeral creatures who By my own ordering are, Should see the shortness of my view, Use ethic tests I never knew, Or made provision for!' He sank to raptness as of yore, And opening New Year's Day Wove it by rote as theretofore, And went on working evermore In his unweeting way. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...NEW YEAR'S POEM by MARGARET AVISON A SPEED OF HISTORY by MARGARET AVISON NEW YEAR'S DAY by DAVID LEHMAN LINES FOR THE NEW YEAR by JULIE CARR I AM RUNNING INTO A NEW YEAR by LUCILLE CLIFTON FOR THE NEW YEAR (2) by ROBERT CREELEY AND THERE WAS A GREAT CALM' by THOMAS HARDY |
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