THE BERNARD HEMENSLEY ARCHIVE; #2

THE THOMAS HARDY POEMS



W I N T E R


1

amid its quiverings
the note
silver and black
wherein the white stars
flew


2

light streamed
some little distance
leaf adhering
at the horizon


3

roughened bloom
its whiteness
letting fall
in tints
by a garden wall


4

snow-
white shoulders
turned up
to the sky


5

expectant stillness
made itself
visible
for an instant
a young girl


6

variation upon
firelight shadows
a
crystal drop
spangles


7

the eyes --
singing
smiling
Her dark eyes --
two slurs in music


8

towards incandescence
Love's hand
quivering
in a dream
beating the air


9

the blooming
figure stood revealed
changed
Angel
woman


*


S P R I N G



1

first-fruits
faintly showing
true feeling


2

brightly illuminated
rendering
the eyes


3

a smile of
new moon
God bless thee


4

This dignity
desire
surging higher


5

music
murmured
all through it


6

damp
sun
streaming


7

allusions
burst from
tender grass


8

in the light
an echo of
peace



*



S U M M E R



1

wavy
liquid colour
displacing
temporary flush


2

spirits
extended further
flying
quivering light


3

lingering dews
changing
threads of
finesse


4

playful
like a
woman
in flower



*



A U T U M N



1

kind
thoughts
leaning upon
earth


2

sunset
flutter
crossing
the hills


3

her heart
dreamt of
the rosy hues of
pleasure


4

this
girl
diaphanous
in the garden


5

as delightfully as
the first
love course
streams


6

again
the rain
the rain
young heart


7

the
self
at ease
at the end



*

A Note on The Thomas Hardy Poems

These poems were 'found' one summer, sitting under a tree in my parents' back-garden, over three or four afternoons, late Eighties.
The words are all Hardy's, from Under The Greenwood Tree. One poem per chapter. All words are taken in sequence. No back-tracking. I continued until I found the right words and had a poem.

Bernard Hemensley
Weymouth, Dorset; 2008