Thomas Hardy (Томас Гарди (Харди))
The Church and the Wedding
‘I’ll restore this old church for our marriage: I’ve ordered the plans: Style of wedding your choice – foot or carriage – By licence, or banns.’ He restored it, as though built newly: The bishop was won To preach, who pronounced it truly A thing well done. But the wedding waits; long, long has waited; And guesswork is dumb Why those who were there to have mated Do not come. And when the nights moan like the wailings Of souls sore-tried, The folk say who pass the church-palings They hear inside Strange sounds as of anger and sadness That cut the heart’s core, And shaken words bitter to madness; And then no more.
Thomas Hardy’s other poems:
