By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) was a prolific poet as well as a significant Victorian novelist. ‘During Wind and Rain’, written in 1917, is about the big things: life and death, and the passing of time. In this post we offer a brief summary of ‘During Wind and Rain’, followed by an analysis of its language and themes.
During Wind and Rain
They sing their dearest songs—
He, she, all of them—yea,
Treble and tenor and bass,
And one to play;
With the candles mooning each face. . . .
Ah, no; the years O!
How the sick leaves reel down in throngs!