As the UK went into Coronavirus lockdown over the past few days this poem by Thomas Hardy kept coming into my mind. So I thought I’d read it for you and talk about how I think it speaks to us at a time like this.
You should be able to play the recording in the SoundCloud player above, but if not you can find it on SoundCloud here.
I hope you enjoy the poem and that you stay safe until the crisis passes.
The Darkling Thrush
By Thomas Hardy
I leant upon a coppice gate
When Frost was spectre-gray,
And Winter’s dregs made desolate
The weakening eye of day.
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
Like strings from broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted nigh
Had sought their household fires.
The land’s sharp features seemed to be
The Century’s corpse outleant,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
Seemed fervourless as I.
At once a voice outburst among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;
An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
Upon the growing gloom.
So little cause for carollings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.
Mark – thankyou so much for sharing! I frequently listen to your podcasts – your soothing voice and inspirational words – and this is one of the best. Not only does it take me back to my school days when I first heard this poem, but it is also a reminder of last Thursday when, staring out on a silent, cold, dark evening … there was a sudden burst of clapping and cheering as my town, along with the rest of the UK, celebrated and showed their gratitude for those carers on the frontline (we even had fireworks)! The feeling of unity and hope at that time is definitely echoed in that little thrush’s song.
Thank you Tracey. I hadn’t made the connection with the clapping for the NHS, but you’re right, it’s a similar feeling.
Thank you, Mark. Your voice brought the calmness to me.
My pleasure Joan, I’m glad it resonated for you.
Wonderfully read and dissected. Ironically It is not the land that is in peril (it is in fact healing from our lack of activity) but our shrunken experience of it and the loneliness of being apart. Today it felt like you were the thrush who burst into song!
Thank you, I’ll take that compliment. 🙂